


A Snake in the Grass

by RainbowMartin



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: (but he's not actually dead), A significant amount of whump, Assumed Character Death, Battle Sequences, Big bad Dragon Witch, Fantasy AU, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Logince - Freeform, M/M, Royal Roman AU, Villain Deceit, some torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-09-05 10:45:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 39,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16809121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowMartin/pseuds/RainbowMartin
Summary: Spare Prince Roman, fifth in line for the throne, goes to fight the evil Dragon Witch to protect his kingdom and get revenge for the people she has killed, along with his squire Patton. Patton is kidnapped by the Dragon Witch and presumed dead, and Roman is badly injured, his life only barely saved by the palace healer, Logan. When they find Patton alive several weeks later, seemingly half-dead and having been tortured, they bring him home, only to find that he isn’t quite acting like himself…





	1. Chapter 1

Roman stared in shock at the empty space in front of him. The empty space where just a moment before had stood Patton, his squire, mouth open in a scream that Roman had never gotten to hear. Now...nothing. Just a field spattered with blood--some red, some blue.

At least Roman knew that he had gotten a few blows in on the Dragon Witch before she had gotten Patton.

The others were catching up to him--Virgil, a lower ranking noble and his distant cousin, reached him first. “Roman?” he panted. “We came as quickly as we could.”

Logan wasn't far behind. The young advisor and healer was breathing hard, not used to running long distances since he spent most of his time reading. “What happened?”

His sword fell to the ground, stained blue from the vile creature's blood. Roman continued to stare.  _ He can't be gone. _

“Where's Patton?” Virgil’s voice was high-pitched with fear for his best friend. “Roman?!”

“He's bleeding,” Logan gasped. “Roman? Roman!”

Roman looked down. Sure enough, a bright red stain was spreading across his chest. The pain hit him a second later, sending him crumpling to the ground with a cry. The venom from the Dragon Witch’s claws shot waves of agony through his body and he barely felt Logan rolling him over and tearing off the white tunic now turning crimson with blood.

“Where is Patton?” Virgil screamed, turning around wildly to look for him. “Roman, where is he?”

“The Prince is injured,” Logan stated. “He won't be answering--”

“Gone,” Roman groaned. He tried to focus through the burning pain, but it was white hot and didn't relent. “Gone, he's gone, she took him.”

“Get him back!” Virgil shouted. “Bring him back, get him back, bring him back!”

“He isn't c-coming...back,” Roman choked out. “Sh-she won't let him l-live…”

The heart-wrenching scream that Virgil let out as he fell to his knees almost matched the agony that Roman felt from the toxin in his blood. He could see black edges start to creep in around his vision. His weakening heartbeat pounded in his ears and almost drowned out Logan's desperately calm voice. “...need to get him back to the palace...come on...carry him by myself...save him out here...to lose both of them...Virgil, please…”

Roman lost consciousness. He wished that had come with the loss of pain.

The hellish venom of the Dragon Witch kept him in a nightmare of a fever. His body felt like it was on fire, his blood boiling in his veins. Several times, he begged whoever was there to kill him quickly before the toxin could. The cool cloth on his forehead and soothing voice next to him brought him no relief.

Barely lucid, he gazed up at a wooden ceiling with eyes that stung and felt dry despite the fact that he knew he was crying. The tears were hot against his skin and whoever was beside him couldn't wipe them away fast enough. He could still see Patton’s terrified face before it had disappeared, pleading with him to save him. But he hadn't been strong enough, and Patton had paid the price.

Nobody taken by the Dragon Witch ever returned. Whether she kept them as prisoners or slaves for a while, killed them immediately, or did something else with them was unclear, but in her battles with Roman, she always bragged that their last words were either pleading for mercy or just screaming. Roman just hoped that Patton hadn't suffered too much before the end.

“I'm sorry, Patton, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,” Roman repeated over and over through cracked lips. He heard someone sobbing and wondered if it was himself before a door slammed and the sobs disappeared. Once, he thought he saw the Dragon Witch in front of him and reached for his sword. “Take me instead!” he wailed, grabbing hold of something. He moved weakly and tried to brandish his sword. He realized quickly that he wasn't holding cold metal but a warm hand, and he was being held still.

“Lay still, Roman. Lay still.”

Roman had just enough time to see Logan's exhausted face before he fell back into fiery darkness.

Every muscle in his body ached the next time he awoke. His throat burned and his mouth tasted acidic. Breathing was a struggle. His body shook with tremors. He let out a quiet moan, miserable, unable to open his eyes. But at least he wasn't on fire anymore. He was hypersensitive to all the noise around him. Someone was breathing nearby, slow and steady, like they were asleep. Outside, as if from an open window, a few birds were chirping. It pounded at Roman's head, and he whimpered again.

The breathing hitched. Someone sniffed. “Ah, fuck,” Logan muttered. “Fell asleep again--oh!”

A hand touched Roman’s forehead lightly. Roman wanted to lean into it, but he couldn't move.

“Fever’s broken,” Logan said softly to himself. “He's finally still.” Something was being pulled off his chest. As the bandage was removed and the wound exposed to the air, Roman wished he had the ability to scream. The pain only worsened as Logan cleaned the wound off with something and then replaced the bandage.

Roman managed to let out a slight whine. Logan paused.

“Roman?” he asked. After a moment, he finished securing the bandage and muttered, “He isn't going to answer, he's not even conscious.”

Again, Roman whimpered. He was desperately trying to convey to Logan that he  _ was _ conscious, he was awake, everything just hurt too much to move and his lips felt like they were glued together and he couldn't open his eyes.

“Roman? Prince Roman, are you awake?” Logan asked incredulously. He took Roman’s hand. “Prince Roman, squeeze my hand if you can hear me.”

Roman squeezed his hand as tightly as he could. His fingers ached immediately, but he kept squeezing.

“Oh, Roman…” Logan breathed. “It is alright, you're safe. I am sure it must hurt, but the worst seems to have passed. Do you think you could drink some water? Squeeze once for yes, twice for no.”

_ Perhaps a bit ambitious, but I certainly would like to have a drink of water. _ He squeezed once. The dry burning in his throat and awful taste on his tongue might ease somewhat if he could manage to open his mouth for a drink.

He hadn't needed to worry about that. A wet cloth brushed against his lips, moistening them until they parted. Roman took in a shuddery breath through his mouth.

Calm and pragmatic, Logan said, “Don't try to move or say anything. Here, we'll start with this and see how it goes.” A few drops of water were poured into his parched mouth. He barely even had to swallow them. Slowly, he was given a bit more, and his throat started to hurt a little less. The sharp, sour taste in his mouth diminished. Although the water wasn't cold and was only, well, water, it was the best thing he had ever tasted. “More later,” Logan told him. “If I give you too much at once, it might upset your stomach.”

Roman found the strength to open and close his hand searchingly. With a soft sigh, Logan took it gently, rubbing his thumb over Roman’s knuckles.

“Can you open your eyes?” Logan asked. “Again, once for yes and twice for no.”

Twice he squeezed.

“I can try to help. Do not try to force yourself.” Another damp cloth touched his eyelid lightly. This one was a softer material than the one that had touched his lips. The water seeped through his eyelashes and into his eyes. It stung, but not in a bad way. Soon, he found himself blinking ever so slightly. “Open your eyes, Roman. The room isn't bright, it won't hurt.”

Roman opened his eyes. Sure enough, the room was dark and only lit by a lamp on the table in the corner. The small flame flickered underneath the cover. Dark curtains were drawn over a window, but just a tiny bit of light escaped over the top and told Roman that it was daytime.

Logan's hand was resting on his forehead. He looked down at Roman with an expression of relief. “I am glad that you are awake, Prince.” He appeared to be exhausted. His eyes were slightly bloodshot. Small, dark bruises had formed underneath them.

“L...Lo…?” Roman whispered.

“Shhh,” Logan said, concerned. “You do not have to try to talk.”

“Lo,” Roman said again. His voice was hoarse and cracked. “Vir...Virgil? Where…”

Logan closed his eyes briefly. “Virgil is...not taking Patton's loss very well. He tried to stay at your side but found some of the things you said in your fever to be too distressing.”

“So sorry,” breathed Roman.

“He knows. I know.” Logan stroked Roman’s hair up off his forehead. “It is alright, Roman.”

“No…” Roman groaned. “No! No, P-Patton, Pat...Patton…” He felt his whole body shake with a sob.

Alarmed, Logan took both of Roman’s hands in one of his own and placed the other on Roman’s chest above the wound. “You're upsetting yourself,” he said. “You should try to remain calm. You are far too weak to exert yourself by crying.”

But he couldn't stop.  _ Patton, I'm sorry! _ He continued to sob, which only made the pain in his body worse. Logan tried to hold him still, shushing him softly.

The door opened. “Logan, I brought--oh.”

“Virgil! No, wait, stay! Please, you're better at this than I am,” Logan pleaded. “He might hurt himself if he keeps on like this. I need him to calm down.”

“Is he awake?” asked Virgil cautiously.

“Yes, he is finally awake. Please, Virgil…”

“Virgil,” Roman sobbed. “I'm so sorry, I'm…” He cried out as one of his heaving sobs sent a slicing pain across his chest.

“He's bleeding again!” Logan exclaimed. “Roman, be still! Hush, hush, be still! Virgil, please!”

Virgil cast himself down onto the bed next to Roman and threw one arm over him, pulling him close. “I know, I know, I know,” he said, choked up. “I know, Roman, but you have to stay still, you have to calm down, you're really hurt and sick.”

Roman turned his head to hide his face against Virgil's shoulder. “Patton,” he wailed.

“I  _ know _ , Ro, I know, I know.” Virgil kneaded at Roman's side, trying to comfort him as well as hold back his own tears. “Believe me, I know, it hurts, it hurts, but you gotta lay still. You're bleeding again, and Lo’s gonna fix it, but you've gotta stay still.”

Without the energy to fight it, Roman went limp. Virgil held him in his arms, one hand under his neck and one across his belly. As Logan removed the bandage and applied pressure to the now bleeding gash, Roman trembled with the effort of holding back a scream. Virgil pressed closer, touching his forehead behind Roman’s temple, just above his ear.

“You're okay, you're okay,” he whispered. “Breathe. I know it hurts. I've got you.” He ran his fingers through Roman’s hair. Roman found Virgil’s hand that was splayed across his stomach and squeezed it.

Fighting his body and brain, both of which were telling him to pass out, Roman tried to focus only on Virgil. And he was  _ trying _ , oh, god, he was trying so hard, but the pain won and the world turned dark again.

* * *

The world was dark. When the sunny field had disappeared, Patton’s consciousness had gone with it. Slowly, slowly, he came back to himself. His eyes opened, but it made no difference. The world was dark.

_ Have I gone blind? _ was his first thought. And then,  _ where am I? _ He was laying on his side on a cold, hard, uneven surface.  _ Stone _ , he concluded a moment later after feeling around with his hand for a moment. There was a sharp pain in his ankle, which shot a spike of agony up his leg as he tried to sit up. “Agh!” he cried.

“Don't try to get up. Your ankle is broken.”

Patton froze. He knew that voice. But the person it belonged to was dead.

The sound of a flint striking steel echoed out, and a shower of sparks illuminated half of someone's face. A muttered curse, and the steel and flint were struck again. This time, an oil lantern flamed up. “There.”

“Nathair?” Patton said, barely louder than a whisper. “Is that...really you?”

“It's me.”

“But...we thought...you were dead!”

Nathair cast him a long glance. “Surprise?”

“Where have you been all this time?” Patton demanded of his old friend. He sat up with a groan, ignoring the pain in his ankle.

“Here. In this cave.”

Patton looked around. Sure enough, the lantern cast enough light for him to see the stone arch of a ceiling. Narrow metal bars separated him from Nathair and locked him in to a small space, just long enough to lay down in. “Where is this place?”

“Who knows? It's the cave of the Dragon Witch. This is where she keeps her prisoners.”

“I'm so glad to see you,” Patton whispered. “Even if it's not...the best of circumstances. You're alive!”

“I'm alive,” Nathair agreed.

Patton dragged himself over to the metal bars, wincing. “Are you hurt? Are you okay? You have no idea how much we missed you.”

The firelight cast a strange glimmer in Nathair’s eyes. “Oh, I'm alright, Patton.”

“I missed you,” Patton repeated. He reached through the bars, trying to touch him. He was already desperate for some human contact, frightened and lonely even with Nathair there.

But Nathair didn't reach back or let Patton touch him. He gazed into the flame of the oil lamp silently. One of his eyes looked almost yellow from the glow.

“Is...is anyone else here?” Patton asked, finally dropping his hand and wrapping his arms around himself. “Can we escape?”

“There is no escape.”

“But maybe with two of us, we could…”

Nathair looked up at him. “There is no escape, Patton.”

Something about the way he said it made Patton shrink back. It wasn't like he was informing Patton of a fact. He seemed almost to relish the bad news and the look of disappointment on Patton’s face. “What's going to happen?” Patton asked timidly. “What is she going to do with me?”

“She'll ask you to join her army,” Nathair stated. “You'll refuse, of course, but there is no point. She wants you. And she always gets what she wants.”

A heavy, worried feeling settled in the pit of Patton’s stomach. “Nathair? How do you know that?”

“I've seen it happen with everyone who comes here. Some are too cowardly or too smart to even try resisting. But once she gets her claws into you, there's no chance. You'll be begging for death before you give up.”

“What happened to  _ you _ ?” Patton asked.

Nathair shrugged. “She's forgotten about me. She took so many of us that day, I was left in a dark corner and forgotten about. Left to rot. I've seen dozens of people pass through this cave, Patton, spoken to all of them. The first few, we tried to escape together. But she always found us. Wasn't looking for me, of course, which is how I could hide again. After the third prisoner I saw dying in agony that way, I knew I could never make another escape attempt no matter how much they pleaded with me.”

“Nathair,” Patton said urgently. “Nathair, it could be different. We could figure something out. You said she's building an army, Roman needs that information. We could bring it to him.”

“Roman?” Nathair said. “Roman is dead.”

Patton let out a strangled cry. “What?”

“The Dragon Witch was boasting of it to one of her assistants as she put you in that cage. She said she had gotten enough venom into him to kill ten people his size.” Nathair sighed. “I'm sorry to have to tell you such ill news. I know you were his squire.”

“I'm his friend,” Patton said softly.

“Of course you were.”

Patton hugged himself tighter.  _ Roman...dead?  _ He could hardly believe it. Roman had promised him when they rode out of the palace together that he was confident he could defeat her. Without the whole army of knights to worry about, there wasn’t the same kind of risk, and Roman didn’t have to worry about distractions. He had promised Patton that they would be alright. He had  _ promised _ .

Of course, Patton had known there was still a danger. He and Roman had fought against the Dragon Witch plenty of times before. And each time, the casualties had been enormous. Why had he ever believed that this time would have been different?

Virgil had known. He had begged them not to go, but Roman had been insistent. He had spoken about his duty as one of the kingdom’s protectors, and about avenging his fallen friends. He and Virgil had argued horribly. Patton had stepped between them, pleading for them to stop, to listen to each other instead of just  _ shouting _ , to call Logan in and see what he had to say. But neither had listened to him, either.

When Roman had finally stormed out, Patton had been so torn. Virgil was holding onto his hand, almost crying, begging him to stay. But his responsibility was to follow Roman, so he had kissed Virgil’s cheek and promised that he would return.

Now he had failed to protect Roman. And he had broken his promise to his best friend.

He was crying now. Pulling his cloak around himself, he hid his face in his arms and sobbed.

“I truly am sorry,” Nathair said, sounding slightly bored. “There’s no point in crying, though, you’ll figure that out eventually. Hopefully before she comes back for you, because she hates it when her prisoners cry. She thinks they’re weak, so she hurts them worse.”

“I’m not afraid of her,” Patton sniffled. “She can hurt me all she wants.”

“You’ll change your mind. They all do. You’ll break or you’ll die.”

“Then I’ll die,” stated Patton.

“Then you’ll die,” agreed Nathair. “But it would be easier for you to give yourself to her.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s easier. It would be wrong. And I would rather die than betray my family.”

A sound almost like a hiss reverberated around the cave. Patton realized it was laughter. “Family? What family? I’ve known you for years, Patton, and you  _ have _ no family,” Nathair told him.

“Virgil, Roman, Logan. My family.”

“You were Roman’s squire, not his family. Whatever relationship you had with Virgil-- now, I don’t judge, but we were all...curious--that kid was so damaged, he was incapable of really caring for anyone. And all Logan ever did was complain about you. Distracting Roman, being too emotional, assuming you were his friend, so annoying...None of them loved you. Why bother trying to protect them now?”

_ No, it’s not true, I don’t believe it. _ Nathair’s words hurt, though.

“Besides, Roman is dead now, anyway. What allegiance do you owe the crown with him gone?”

_ They did, though. They did love me, didn’t they? I loved  _ them _. Didn’t they… _ Patton sobbed harder.

“Oh, Patton,” Nathair said gently. “I’m not trying to upset you, I’m trying to help you. You have to see that you’ll be causing yourself unnecessary pain. And for what? People you deluded yourself into thinking cared about you? I don’t want to see you hurt, Patton. And you  _ will _ be hurt if you don’t yield to her immediately. Is it really worth it?”

Patton wiped his nose with his sleeve. “Yes,” he said. “Of course it is. Even if...even  _ if _ you’re right, I still won’t ever give in to her. She’s evil, Nathair, she hurts people, and I won’t have any part of that.” Suddenly, the lantern went out and plunged the cave back into darkness. Patton flinched. “Nathair?”

A great rumbling sound came from the other side of the cave. Part of the wall swung open, flooding the cave with moonlight. The terrifying silhouette of the Dragon Witch was standing there. A smaller, human silhouette stood next to her. A smooth, sibilant whisper rang out. “Let’s take a look at what we’ve got, shall we?”

Closing his eyes and trying to breathe, Patton shrank back against the bars of the cage. He was afraid, despite what he had told Nathair. But no matter what happened, he wasn’t going to let her turn him into someone who hurts people. He was going to do the right thing--even if it killed him. Even if nobody cared about him. His death would mean nothing, but at least he was going to do the right thing.


	2. Chapter 2

Roman regretted forgetting to lock his door. Logan had walked right in without even knocking, an exasperated expression on his face. “You were supposed to be in the infirmary an hour ago.”

“Yeah, so?” muttered Roman. He rolled onto his side to turn his back on Logan, letting out a groan of pain.

“So,” Logan said emphatically. “I cannot do my job if you insist upon being uncooperative and ridiculous.”

“Oh, go away.”

“I am not going away.”

“Well, I’m not going to cooperate, so shove off.” When a hand touched his shoulder, Roman flinched and slapped it away. “Don’t touch me!”

“I have to touch you, I’m here to take care of your wound. You may be a Prince, and fifth in line for the throne, but you are also my patient,” Logan said. He took some of his supplies out of his bag and began setting them on the long wooden table next to Roman’s bed. “Believe me, I would rather not be here, either.”

“Then why not just leave?”

Logan didn’t even dignify him with a response. “Turn onto your back, Roman.”

“No.”

“Why are you being so difficult?!”

“I just want to be left alone!” Roman exclaimed.

“If that was true, you would cooperate, and then I could leave sooner. But clearly, you don’t want to be left alone, you just want someone towards whom to direct your anger. And in that, I won’t indulge you.”

“If you’ve got it all figured out, why bother asking me anything?” Roman snarked.

“Perhaps because I am still holding out hope that you will be reasonable for once in your life. I can see that you are upset--”

“You’re damn right--”

“--but it has been two weeks since your fever broke, and I fail to see why you won’t move on.”

Roman sat up sharply, ignoring the fierce prickle of pain across his chest. “Losing Patton--it was my  _ fault _ , Logan!”

“Yes, it was,” Logan replied. “If you had not brought him with you on your foolish mission, he would still be alive.”

“Exactly!” Roman shouted. “Exactly.” He shook his head. “Exactly. So just leave.”

“I can’t leave.”

“Then I--then  _ I _ will!” Roman started to stand up, intending to run out the door. After two steps, his legs gave out underneath him and he collapsed onto the rug with a whimper. He struggled to get back up, needing to escape, to get away, to be alone.

“You’re going to hurt yourself,” Logan sighed. He walked past Roman towards the door and opened it. Roman felt an unwanted pang of disappointment--maybe he  _ didn’t _ want Logan to leave. But Logan just called down the hallway, “Virgil, I need your help after all.”

Roman doubled over, hiding his face in his arms and digging his fingers into his shoulders. Virgil would make it worse--he didn’t  _ mean _ to, of course. But seeing him reminded Roman of what he had done, and what they had lost, and even though Virgil refused to be angry at him, he was angry at  _ himself _ . A gentle hand rested on his back. “Go away,” he said roughly.

“No.” Virgil put his arms around Roman’s waist and hauled him to his feet, bringing him back to the bed and making him sit down. “Stop taking it out on Logan. You want to yell at someone, yell at me.”

“You didn’t do anything,” muttered Roman.

“Neither did Logan,” Virgil shot back.

“Well, I’d look pretty fucking stupid shouting at myself, wouldn’t I?” Roman snapped. Hot, angry tears sprang to his eyes.

“I don’t know, yelling into a mirror can be pretty cathartic. You can try it,  _ after _ you let Logan replace your bandage.” Virgil finally pushed him down so he was laying on his back. It didn’t take much strength on his part, and Roman couldn’t sit back up after he was down. “There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Roman glared. He hated feeling so weak. The other day, he had tried to pick up his sword and couldn’t even lift it fully off the ground. Logan still wasn’t sure if there would be any permanent damage. When Virgil lifted his head up and slid over to cradle it in his lap, Roman closed his eyes. “Why don’t you just hate me?” he whispered. “It would be easier.”

“I’m too tired,” Virgil said lightly. He stroked down the length of Roman’s arm as Logan took off the bandage. It stung. Virgil winced and looked away from the gash, which had mostly closed but was still mottled deep purple and green because of the tissue damage from the venom. Just a bit of blood and some yellow fluid was smeared on the inside of the bandage. Virgil made a sound of discomfort. He was squeamish around blood and injuries. “Hating you would take energy I don’t have,” he added, still averting his eyes. “Deal with it.”

“That’s fine.” Roman bit his lip in pain and tasted blood. “I can--hate myself enough, for the both of us,” he groaned.

“That’s the spirit.”

Logan had some sort of dark green salve in a jar. “This is going to hurt,” he said bluntly. “But it could help repair the tissue damage.”

Roman nodded resignedly. “I can’t run away even if I try, we’ve established that.”

“Quite.” Logan spread a small amount of the salve onto the wound. It burned immediately, and Roman arched his back, twisting away involuntarily. “Stay still, please,” Logan requested.

“That’s easier said than done!” spat Roman.

Virgil looped his arms under Roman’s and held him steady. “Hey, I've got you. I've got you.”

“Like that fucking helps!”

“Okay, fair, fair. C’mon, Ro, breathe. You can get through this.”

“Part of me would rather not,” Roman grumbled. 

“Too fucking bad, you don't have a choice, ‘cause we're not letting you go,” Virgil said harshly. “Okay? You don't have a choice.”

Roman bit down on the inside of his cheek as more of the salve was rubbed into the gash. The salty taste of blood filled his mouth.

“Stop, stop doing that.” Virgil touched his cheek and then took his hand. “You'll regret it later. Hold my damn hand instead. Break it if you need to."

“It should stop stinging as badly in a few minutes,” Logan told him.

Practically crushing Virgil’s hand, Roman managed to calm down slightly. He was adjusting to the new level of pain--it still hurt like hell, but he didn't feel the need to scream or cry anymore. 

Logan put the new bandage on him. “And now I can leave. See, Roman, it really does take less time if you just cooperate from the start.”

“He knows, Logan,” Virgil said. “He's just angry.”

“Fuck off,” Roman muttered, but there was no bite behind his words.

“Uh-huh, sure, Ro.” Virgil kept hold of his hand, and Roman made no move to let go either.

Logan finished packing up his supplies and left. “Roman, you will either come to me tomorrow before noon or I will come here and I will not be happy about it. Virgil, if you could stay with him for a while to make sure he isn't just indulging in self-loathing, I would appreciate it.”

“Sure. I'm staying,” Virgil told Roman. “Don't argue with me.”

Roman closed his eyes and didn’t answer as Logan left and closed the door behind him. After a few minutes of silence, he mumbled, “I’m not going to him tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I know. You don’t want to leave your room, huh? Don’t want the world to see how weak you are right now. It’s okay, I’ll talk to him.” Virgil ran his fingers over Roman’s hair. “He won’t understand, but I’ll make him accept it.”

“Oh, god, Virgil...why? Why are you still trying to help me?”

“I told you, I’m too tired to hate you.”

“I wish everyone would just leave me alone,” Roman whispered. “Why won’t everyone just leave me alone?” The ache in his chest wasn’t just because of his wound. It was deeper than that, cutting right into his heart.

“You don’t really wish that, though. It’s a lonely thing, being completely alone. Take it from someone whose father hated him so much that he kept him in nearly total isolation until he was twelve and old enough to run away.”

Roman blinked. Virgil didn’t usually talk about that. Everyone  _ knew _ it, of course. It had been a huge scandal thirteen years ago, when a strange young boy had been found wandering the wilderness and it was discovered that he was the son of an unmarried nobleman, born out of wedlock to a young servant girl who died in childbirth. The nobleman was the Queen’s third cousin, and the boy had been brought to the palace out of pity. Roman remembered how cruel he had been to Virgil. He had only been ten at the time himself, and had quickly learned to be kinder. Still, he wondered why Virgil had ever forgiven him. He wondered now how Virgil could forgive him again, after what he had done to Patton.

“So, you know,” Virgil said when Roman didn’t reply. “I’m not gonna leave you all by yourself. Especially ‘cause it’s not like I have anyone else, either, now.”

_ Oh, so that’s it _ . With Patton gone and Logan being particularly stand-offish, Virgil didn’t have anybody else to go to for companionship and comfort. Roman was the only friend he had left. “Sorry,” Roman whispered. “I wish…”

“Ro? You wish what?”

“Should have been me. Should have been me, not Patton. Then you would still have your best friend, and...and he was the only one who could g-get Logan to soften up,” Roman said, his voice breaking.

“Shut up,” Virgil said gruffly. “Ro, shut up.”

But Roman couldn’t stop now. “And he would always sneak some food out of the kitchens to bring to all the villages we rode past, to give to any kids who looked hungry. I’d do it myself now, but...but I can’t even fucking walk, you know, and it wouldn’t be the same anyway ‘cause he knew which kids liked blueberries in their scones and which hated them, and I’d mess it all up, Virge, I’m gonna mess everything up without him. I’ve never been good for anything, and I thought if I could...if I could just bring her down, stop her from hurting anyone else, then maybe I’d be something other than the sparest of the spare princes. A name on the family trees in history books, nothing more. But I’m worse than nothing now, I’m the one who brought Patton to his death, and--”

“Shut  _ up _ , Roman!” Virgil shouted.

“And I can’t, I can’t be that, Virgil, I can’t--”

“It’s not about you, Roman! It’s--” Virgil was breathing too quickly. “It’s not fucking  _ about you _ , you arrogant, self-centered, egotistical idiot! You think anyone gives a damn about what the fucking history books are gonna say about you? It’s not like they’re gonna mention the death of a squire, either, or the healer who saved the prince’s life when by all rights he should have died too, or an illegitimate son of a nobleman already wiped so far out of the records that he barely exists now.” The whole time, he didn’t stop stroking Roman’s hair. He didn’t let go of his hand, either.

Roman took a deep, shuddery breath and let it out in a sob. “You’re right,” he said, “always right, always...always right.”

Struggling to speak through his near-hyperventilating, Virgil added, “But just ‘cause y-you’re an idiot, d-doesn’t mean you--you don’t deserve--shouldn’t have been you, sh-shouldn’t have been either of you, R-Roman! W-we shouldn’t h-have had to lose either of you, I--I d-don’t...so d-don’t say...oh, god, no, I can’t even i-imagine l-losing y-you, too, n-now, please, Roman, d-don’t…”

“Virgil? Virgil, breathe!” Roman said, raising his head from where it rested in his friend’s lap to look up and see the glazed look of panic in Virgil’s eyes.

“One--one of m-my n-nightmares already c-came t-true, Roman, I c-couldn’t...and wh-when we w-weren’t s-sure if you’d make it--god, Roman, I d-don’t th-think you understand h-h-how c-close…”

Roman pushed himself into a sitting position, ignoring the burn in his muscles and the fiery throbbing behind his bandage. He took hold of Virgil’s face and forced him to look him in the eye. “Look at me, look at me, see me, Virgil? I’m still here. I’m still here. Breathe.”

Virgil grabbed his wrists, trying to nod. His hiccupy breathing evened out slightly as Roman pressed their foreheads together.

“Breathe,” Roman said again. “I’m still here. We’ll get through this. I don’t know how, but we will. I promise.”

“I’m s-sorry I yelled at you,” whispered Virgil.

“Oh, I fucking deserved it, honey. Come here.” Roman hugged him gingerly, wincing. Feeling Virgil shake with a sob, he thought  _ screw it _ , and pulled him tighter. The pain was worth it to feel Virgil relax ever so slightly into the embrace.

“N-never gonna g-get to h-hug him again,” mumbled Virgil. “He w-was so warm, R-Ro, I j-just want him b-back, I l-love him s-s-so much, I just w-want h-him back.”

“Shhh,” Roman breathed, pulling the quilt up out of the disheveled mess of blankets on the bed to tuck around Virgil’s shoulders.

“D-do you think he w-was scared?” Virgil asked as Roman sank down against the pillows, pulling him down as well. He nestled up against Roman’s side, sniffling.

“I…” Roman didn't want to answer that. He brought Virgil closer instead and shushed him quietly.  _ He was probably terrified, _ he thought silently.  _ But then again, wouldn't anyone be? _

* * *

Patton was terrified. Curled up in the cage, shivering, his light armor and outerwear long since gone, he tried to keep his breathing quiet and not let out any whimpers of pain or fear. He had lost track of all time in here. He could have been trapped for months or for just a few days. The passage of time was marked not by the rising and setting of the sun, but by when the Dragon Witch and her lackey, known only as Deceit, came to torment him.

In the freezing cave, the only relief Patton could find was when Nathair would come to visit him and light the oil in the lamp. The eery, flickering light was better than being alone with his pain in the darkness, even if all Nathair ever did was plead with him to give in to the Dragon Witch's demand that he join her army.

The now-familiar striking of flint against steel brought a spark of comfort to Patton and he sat up despite the fresh pain of the burns on his side, eager to talk to his friend. Nathair’s face was illuminated by the flame for a second before it died down to a tiny flicker. “Patton,” he greeted.

Almost crying, Patton replied, “Nathair, y-you’re still here.”

“And where else would I be?”

“You didn't come l-last time they left,” Patton said. “I thought…I don't know what I thought, but I m-missed you.” He held his hand out through the bars, knowing better than to expect Nathair to touch him but still holding out hope.

“Oh, I'm sorry, Patton, I got caught up in something else. But how are you?” Nathair looked him up and down. “You don't look very good.”

Patton laughed shakily. “No, I probably don't, huh?”

“I could hear your screams from where I was hiding. Patton, just give in,” Nathair urged.

“No.” His voice was weak but determined. “She can't break me.”

“She's barely gotten started.”

“She won't break me,” insisted Patton. “Because if she breaks me, then she will be able to enter my mind and turn me against my family.”

“Patton--"

“I know, I know.” Patton coughed. “You think they never cared about me. Well, I don't think you're right, but even if you are, I still love them.”

“I don't want to see you suffer any longer.”

“I'd suffer more if I had to watch my family get hurt because of me,” Patton said. “That...that would break me. Not anything the Dragon Witch could do to me.” Patton slid down against the ground, no longer having enough strength to sit up. “I'm sorry you have to hear it, Nathair. I wish I could help you get out of here.”

“Don't waste your energy worrying about me.” Nathair blew out the lantern and his voice rang out in the dark. “Get some rest, then. You never know when she'll come back and what she'll do to you this time.”

Patton closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around himself to try and keep warm. “Won't you stay with me? Please?” he requested, but Nathair said nothing. He was already gone. Patton sighed. 

He tried to imagine that he was somewhere warm and sunny, somewhere that he was safe and happy and with his friends. He imagined Virgil there with him, holding him and telling him that everything was alright.  _ I wonder where he is, and if he's okay, _ he thought.  _ They all probably think I'm dead. Oh, Virgil… _

He fell asleep, then wished he hadn't.

_ Virgil was screaming. Patton reached out into the darkness, desperately trying to reach his best friend, but he was holding a blade in each hand and they collided with something. The screams got louder. _

_ “No!” Patton shouted. “No, Virgil, I'm sorry! Virgil!” He tried to drop the knives. He couldn't. They seemed attached to his hands. _

_ “Stop hurting me, why are you hurting me?” Virgil sobbed. “I thought you loved me.” _

_ “I'm not! I'm not! I can't--" Patton felt his arms being moved by someone other than himself. Something was controlling his movement. “I'm not trying to!” _

_ Virgil let out a wail. “Patton, please!” _

_ His heart breaking, Patton said, “I'm trying, Virgil, please…”  _ Wake up _ , he told himself.  _ This is a dream. This can't be real.  _ He didn't wake up. _

_ When Virgil’s screams finally stopped, whatever was controlling Patton let go of him. He dropped the knives immediately. His hands were covered in blood. Rushing forward, he lifted Virgil’s limp, bloodstained body off the ground. There was just enough light to see his face. His eyes were closed. _

_ “Virgil,” Patton whimpered. “Virgil, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, wake up! Please wake up!” _

_ Virgil's eyelashes fluttered. “Get away from me,” he breathed. _

_ Patton let out a sob. “Virgil, it wasn't me, I didn't mean to!” _

_ “Don't touch me!” _

_ “Virgil!” _

_ There was a soft exhale, and Virgil fell still. _

_ “Virgil?” Patton whispered. “Virgil, wake up. Wake...wake up, kiddo, you've got to wake up. Sweetheart? Oh, sweetheart, please wake up.” He cradled Virgil's body close, trying to staunch the bleeding from the innumerable wounds on his skin. “Virgil!” _

_ He wasn't breathing. _

_ “No!” Patton sobbed. “No, no, p-please…”  _ This is a dream,  _ he told himself again. _ This can't be real.

_ But if it was a dream, then why wasn't he waking up? Virgil’s body felt solid in his arms, the ground hard beneath him, the air cold. Dreams weren't this vivid, not after they had been found out as dreams. _

_ “Patton?” a horrified voice from behind him cried. “Patton, what have you done?” _

_ “I didn't do it!” Patton said, turning his head to face Logan. “Lo, help him, please, he's hurt! He's not breathing, save--” He was shoved roughly, thrown against the wall as Virgil was pulled out of his lap. Laying there stunned, he watched Logan take Virgil’s wrist and feel for a pulse. _

_ Roman came running up. “Virgil!” he screamed. _

_ “He’s gone, Roman,” Logan said. _

_ Patton pulled his knees up to his chest, crying. “I didn’t mean to,” he said. “I didn’t…” He gasped as he was struck across the face. _

_ “How could you?!” Roman cried. “How could you hurt him?” _

_ “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to!” Patton held one hand against his stinging cheek and reached for Virgil with the other. _

_ “You don’t get to touch him!” Roman raised his sword to Patton’s throat. “I should kill you now.” _

_ “Okay,” Patton whispered. “Okay, I w-won’t stop you.” _

_ The sword pressed harder against his skin, drawing blood. Trembling, Patton closed his eyes. _

He woke up sobbing and clawing at his throat. “Too real, too real,” he moaned. “Oh, god…” Then he screamed. Someone’s hand was on his forehead.

“How did I do?” hissed the sibilant voice of Deceit.

“Why don’t you ask him?” replied the Dragon Witch from farther back. Her voice was deep and almost melodious, but icy cold. Just the sound of it sent shivers of terror down his spine.

“Wh-wh-what w-was th-that?” stammered Patton.

“Jusssst a nightmare, my friend,” Deceit replied.

Patton couldn’t move. He could barely breathe. “N-n-no, it w-w-was...f-felt r-r-real…”

A laugh, cruel and far too soft for who it came from. “Would you like more? Our magic can keep you seeing an infinite number of those scenarios, taken directly from your darkest fears.”

“No,” Patton pleaded. “No, please…I th-thought you c-couldn’t see into m-my mind unless I l-let you.”

“Oh, poor Patton,” said Deceit. “Doesn’t underssstand magic, doessss he?”

“Minds cannot be changed without permission, but what we showed you was already there,” explained the Dragon Witch.

“Of coursssse, we can sssstop there, with that little demonsssstration. But you have to give usssss that permisssssion, Patton, or the nightmare will continue.”

Whimpering, Patton tried to curl up and hide. He still couldn’t move.

“Well, what’sssss it going to be?”

“No,” Patton mumbled. “No, never. Never.”

“How long do you think it’ll take to convincccce him otherwissssse?” Deceit said.

“Oh, not long. Not long at all,” answered the Dragon Witch. “Not long at all.”


	3. Chapter 3

The day that Logan told him his wound was healed, Roman got on his horse and rode out for hours, all the way back to the field. He slowed the horse to a walk. A large patch of the grass had died, the faintest traces of blue blood dotting the ground around the blackened plants. Roman slid off the horse shakily, knowing he had pushed himself too far but not caring.

“Rest, girl,” he murmured to the horse and sat down on the ground. The mare wandered away to where the grass wasn’t poisoned and dead, starting to graze. Roman put his hand on his chest, rubbing away a phantom pain that darted across the fresh scar.

It was already nightfall, and he was far too exhausted to ride back to the palace. He laid down on his back in the grass next to the dead patch and gazed up at the stars which were just starting to appear in the sky. The last rays of sunlight slipped down below the horizon, the sliver of a crescent moon brightening.

He started to shiver after about half an hour, the ground leaching the warmth right out of him. He hadn't thought to put a blanket in the saddle bag. All he had was the thin red cloak tied around his neck, which did nothing to keep him warm. But he didn't care. He wasn't here to be comfortable, he was here to…

Well, he didn't actually know why he had come here. He felt like total shit. Not just physically, although that was definitely true as well. But there was deeper pain than just his body, and the agony in his heart and mind were more difficult to ignore. Coming here had made it worse. Perhaps that had been his intention. He  _ needed _ it to be worse, he needed to feel that pain and that heavy, thick guilt that squeezed at his chest until he couldn't breathe and he wanted to throw up. It was necessary. He deserved it.

He had no right to miss Patton, but oh  _ god _ , he did. The gentle smiles and clever puns and warm hugs, and how he could make even Logan smile (though the healer never admitted it)--gone, all of it, and it was Roman’s fault. The one who could calm Virgil right out of an anxiety attack and bolster Roman's confidence like nobody else could. Patton was gone.

Roman rolled onto his side, curling up and shivering, trying to hold back tears. He was just a few feet away from where he had failed, where Patton had disappeared into thin air along with the Dragon Witch, her claws around him, and he had started to scream…

The sound of hooves came echoing into the night. Roman looked up, wondering where his horse was going. But she was still just standing and grazing, so he turned his head the other direction just as the sound stopped.

Logan dismounted his horse and started walking over.

“No--what are you doing here?” Roman said, wanting to shout but not having the energy.

“You didn't think nobody would follow you, did you?”

“Did it have to be  _ you _ ?” griped Roman. He didn't protest when Logan sat down beside him and wrapped a thick woolen blanket around him, though. He shifted so it could be underneath him as well, providing a layer of protection between him and the ground.

“I'm not here to hurt you, Roman.”

Roman said nothing for a minute. “I know that, Logan,” he muttered eventually.

“It is not safe for you to ride off on your own like this. Just because I told you that your wound no longer needs constant attention, that does not give you permission to run off. Besides…” He spoke a bit more softly now. “Virgil tells me that you should not be alone after everything that happened. Now, I cannot pretend to understand all of your emotions, but I believe Virgil. And I am fairly sure that being back here will only worsen your negative feelings.”

“That's the fucking point, Lo.”

Logan paused. “I do not understand. Why would you deliberately make yourself feel worse?”

_ Because I deserve it. Because I need it. _ “It's better this way,” he said vaguely.

“I still don't understand,” Logan repeated.

“Of course you don't,” Roman snapped tiredly. “You don't understand anything.”

“Falsehood! I understand that you are sad, Roman, and that you feel guilty over Patton’s death. But I find it utterly ridiculous that you want to make yourself even more miserable by forcing yourself to return to where it occurred,” said Logan.

“It's because I deserve to, Logan!” Roman cried. “I...I owe it to Patton to feel like this.”

“You feel you would not be treating him with the proper respect if you did not feel this pain while grieving for him,” Logan stated, surprising Roman with his sudden perceptiveness.

There wasn't far for Roman to slump where he was laying on the ground, but slump he did. “Yeah,” he whispered, his eyes suddenly flooding with tears.

“Very well. Feel however you want to feel. I am not going to stop you, or make you return with me to the palace tonight. We will ride back tomorrow. In the meantime, do what you need to do, and I will be here if you wish to...talk about it.”

Roman nodded and wiped his eyes, trying and failing to be discreet about it.  _ Haven’t I cried enough? _ he thought bitterly. “Do you even miss him?” he asked. “I can...never tell, with you.”

Logan’s voice softened. “Of course I miss him. He...we didn’t see eye to eye, of course, but I was very fond of him. I considered him one of my dearest friends.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Roman, I hope you know that I am not angry at you. Yes, it is true that your actions led to the circumstances which caused Patton’s death. But such anger and regret, and dwelling on what could have been if this or if that--it is a pointless, draining, unhealthy endeavor. You locate your mistakes, and you resolve to never make them again. That is the best way to move on.”

“I don't want to move on,” Roman said, his voice shaking. “I want him  _ back _ .” He could no longer hold back a sob.

“I know,” Logan murmured. “We all do. This...this is not the kind of wound I know how to heal, Roman, as much as I wish I could. I do not know how to help you. If you tell me, though, I can try.”

“Why won't anyone just be  _ angry _ at me?” wailed Roman. “It would be so much easier if you just hated me!”

“You are already more angry at yourself than anyone else could be. I refuse to add to your suffering.” Logan placed his hand on Roman's shoulder.

Roman's hand shot out from under the blanket and grabbed onto Logan's. He clung to it like a lifeline as he cried and Logan did his best to comfort him, stroking his hair with slightly stiff, unsure movements.

“The pain lessens with time,” Logan told him quietly. “It hurts now, and it may always hurt, but eventually it will be bearable.”

“I don't see how.”

“You don't have to, yet. Grief is a part of human existence. We are equipped to cope with it. It is painful. But we survive.”

Roman cried harder.

“Fuck. Am I not doing this right? I apologize, Roman, I truly am trying.”

Shaking his head, because Logan was  _ just so goddamned clueless sometimes _ , Roman sat up and threw himself at the healer. He shook with sobs as Logan caught and held him instinctually.

“Roman? Would it be better if I just stopped talking?”

Roman shook his head again, holding onto Logan's arms in an attempt to beg him not to let go. “I don't care if you talk,” he sobbed. “Just...be here, please.”

“I am here, Roman.” Logan let him collapse against his chest and patted his shoulder. “I'm here.”

Roman tried to collect himself enough to speak, but he couldn't.

“It's alright,” sighed Logan. “You really  _ are _ going to be alright. But you are exhausted. Try not to make yourself ill by crying too hard.”

“N-not like I can h-help it,” Roman managed.

“Of course. Perhaps crying yourself to sleep will help. From what I have observed, crying does...often seem to make people calmer afterwards when they are grieving.”

Roman held onto Logan's sleeve and looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. “D-Does it h-help you?”

Logan merely tugged the blanket tighter around Roman and said nothing.

Nodding, Roman gripped his sleeve harder. “I figured,” he whispered. “You d-don't talk about th-things like that.”

After a moment, Logan said. “I have not cried in many years, Roman. You are right, I do not like to talk about emotions. But…I will say...the closest I have come to tears in a very long time is when I had to watch you in agony, and when I was unsure if I would be able to save you.”

Roman took a deep breath. “Lo? Thank you. I h-hadn't said that before. Thank you for saving my life.”

“It is my duty. But you are welcome.”

His tears falling silently now, Roman’s exhaustion was finally getting to him. He really had been far too weak to ride for so long, and he wasn't cold anymore, thanks to the blanket and the warmth from being held in Logan's arms. He felt a bit empty, but much calmer after crying for so long.

As he was being laid down on the ground gently, nearly asleep, he wasn’t sure if he was dreaming or not when he heard a whisper. “Sleep well, my Prince. I will be right here when you awake.”

* * *

Patton woke up with a gasp. His entire body was trembling. He had disappeared into darkness for a while after the last nightmare, a particularly awful delusion in which he watched his friends die slowly, in a manner best not discussed. Patton’s whole being was protesting against the constant mental and physical abuse, but it couldn't shut down forever. So he was awake again, and soon the nightmares would continue.

Although he hadn't eaten anything in a few days, when he had gotten a bit of stale bread and a slightly mushy apple (what he wouldn't give for a freshly baked cookie), his stomach began to cramp up. He gagged, unable to actually vomit but his body certainly trying to. The sound of his retching must have been enough to alert Nathair that he was awake, because the voice came whispering out of the darkness. “Patton, are you alright?”

Patton coughed and spat weakly. “No,” he whimpered. “I'm not, Nathair, I'm not alright at all.”

“Can I help?”

“Water,” Patton pleaded. Nathair always seemed to have some water. He said there was a small pool at the back of the cave where he got it. Patton didn't care where it came from. It was drinkable and made the burning in his throat ease somewhat.

Nathair passed the rusted metal cup through the bars of the cage with a clinking sound. Patton grasped for it in the dark, his hand brushing up against skin and  _ oh _ , he wanted nothing more than to hold Nathair’s hand and try to glean some sort of comfort from it. “Don't touch me,” Nathair snapped. “Take the damn cup, Patton, quickly.”

Patton snatched his hand back. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” He took the cup, careful to avoid touching Nathair. Tears were forming in his stinging, dry eyes.  _ No, I have to save water, _ he thought, taking a sip from the cup and forcing the tears away. It tasted slightly bitter and coppery, but he couldn't express how much he had needed it.

“You've been unconscious for hours,” Nathair stated. “Better hurry drinking that, they'll be back soon.”

Patton nearly threw up again. Oh, god, he couldn't keep doing this. How many more times did he have to see his family die? To feel their blood on his hands and hear their tortured screams? “Nathair? I think I need you to...to do something for me,” he said hoarsely.

“What is it, Patton?”

“Do you...have a knife? Anything sharp, or...or poison?” His voice was shaking.

“Patton, what are you saying?” Nathair asked.

“I’m saying...I think I need to die, Nathair, I...I don’t want to be alive anymore.”

Nathair didn’t sound shocked. “Why don’t you just give up, Patton? You don’t have to die for the pain to stop.”

“That’s not an option, I’ve already told you. That hasn’t changed.” Patton put his head in his hands, trying not to start crying. “Nathair, please, you have to help me.”

“And if I don’t want to help you commit suicide, Patton?”

“I’ll...I’ll just do it myself.” He swallowed hard, a lump in his throat making it difficult to breathe. “I have the cup now, I can...I can break it, make it sharp enough to...my wrists. But...I would prefer something...quicker.”

There was a long pause. “You’re really determined, huh?” Nathair almost sounded disappointed. “You’re gonna die before they come back.”

“Yeah,” Patton whispered. “I can’t do this anymore, Nathair. But...I...I would really like your support, I don’t w-want to die alone.”

“And I can’t change your mind about this?”

“No, you can’t.”

“Well, fuck.”

Patton considered telling him off for swearing, but decided it wasn’t worth it.

“And I really thought I could keep thisss up for longer.”

Patton’s blood seemed to turn to ice as he registered the hiss in Nathair’s voice.  _ No. Oh, god, no. _

“I sssuppossse it’ss time for plan B,” Nathair sighed. “She won’t be happy, but you’re a ssstubborn basssstard. And give me back the cup.”

The cup was snatched out of Patton’s hands. He didn’t even try to hold on.  _ No, please, no. Oh, god… _

“Well? Got ssssomething to sssay, Patton?” Nathair taunted.

“Deceit,” Patton breathed. “You...you were pretending to be Nathair the whole time.”

“Well, no. I am Nathair. That isss my name, and I wasss who you remember me to be.”

“She corrupted you!” Patton couldn't hold back his tears anymore. “Oh, Nathair, I'm so sorry!”

“Oh, shut up, you ssssniveling wreck. She didn't  _ corrupt _ me.” His voice dripped with venomous sarcasm. “I'm doing thissss entirely of my own volition. I came to her long before we arranged my disssapearenccce, sssspied for her for asssss long asssss I could without being dissscovered.”

“Why?” Patton cried. “Y-you were our  _ friend _ ! We  _ mourned _ you!”

“Friendsss? Hah!” Nathair scorned. “I ssstopped being your  _ friend _ from the minute your darling Roman ussssurped me.”

“This is about revenge? For  _ that _ ?” Patton couldn't believe it. “Roman had every right to claim the position as head of the knights.”

“He had no right!” shouted Nathair, and Patton threw himself back against the bars of the cage in terror, trying to get away from the man who had tortured him, lied to him, pretended to be his friend,  _ betrayed him _ \--

“As P-Prince, he w-was--"

“An inexssperienced, unqualified, weak fool!” Nathair continued, furious. “I had worked for yearssss for that, and he took it from me overnight!”

“He was doing what he thought--" Patton started, unable to keep quiet despite his fear.

“Doing what he thought wasss what?  _ Right _ ? You're the only idiot concssserned with right and wrong,  _ Patton _ . No, Roman wanted glory. Power. Pressstige and fame. He didn't care that he didn't know what he wasss doing, that people would  _ die _ becaussse of hissss moronic decssisssionss.”

“He w-was a g-great leader,” Patton sobbed. “Stop t-talking about him like that!”

“A great leader wouldn't have gotten himssself killed and his sssquire taken prisssoner.”

Patton was shaking hard with racking sobs, his tormented body collapsing under the weight of his grief. His only source of comfort in this horrible place had turned out to be a lie. An awful, cruel deception designed to convince him to surrender himself to evil. He didn't think he could survive this.

“In any cassse, if you ended up refusssing to cooperate, we did make a backup plan. Not quite assss simple, and a lot more effort on my part, but the glamour should be easssy enough to maintain." A ball of yellow light began to glow. 

Patton stared in horror as he saw Nathair’s face fully for the first time in the cave. Half of his face was covered in scales, his left eye yellow and snake-like and rimmed in smooth, pink skin. A forked tongue flickered out of his mouth and he smiled cruelly at Patton’s look of disgust, revealing two hinged fangs.

“Like what you ssssee?” asked Nathair-- _ no.  _ Deceit.

“What  _ happened _ to you?” Patton croaked out.

“My misssstressss isss well-versssed in transssformation magic, having ssstudied for yearsss to alter herssself into her current form. It isss a complex glamour sssspell, which you wouldn't undersssstand even if I cared to explain. A sssimpler ssspell disssguisses me again assss the way you remember me.” Deceit waved a hand in front of his face. There was a slight shimmer in the air, and the scales disappeared. His eye turned brown again for a moment. Then he blinked and the illusion was gone. The reptilian features returned. “And a ssslightly more complex ssspell will be needed for my next disssguise.”

“Wh-what disguise would th-that be?” Patton stammered.

“You, of coursssse.”

“You're going to disguise yourself as...me?” Patton asked in disbelief. “T-to do what, spy at the palace? Nobody will believe you.”

“You'd be sssurprisssed." Deceit sat back, closing his eyes in concentration. He started muttering something under his breath, a long incantation of strange words, none of which Patton recognized except for his own name. The shimmer in the air covered his entire body, everything becoming distorted until Patton had to look away, becoming dizzy. When he looked back, he could have screamed, because his own face was staring back at him. “What do you think?” said not-Patton.

Patton couldn’t tear his eyes away. It was like looking into a mirror, except he looked slightly different than he remembered. He was thinner, his cheekbones protruding where they had formerly been soft and round. His eyes seemed haunted, though there was a tiny spark of yellow in the left one that no one would notice unless they were looking for it. He was covered in cuts and bruises and bright red burns, and he was so pale, like he hadn’t seen sunlight in weeks. He hadn’t, of course. Was that really what he looked like right now?

“There’s still one more thing I’ve got to do, but I’ll need my mistress’s help for that one.”

_ God, it is so terribly disconcerting to hear my own voice coming from my own mouth when it isn’t me speaking.  _ Patton squeezed his hands into fists, trying to calm himself down by digging his fingernails into his palms. The light went out, and his own laughter echoed through the cave, getting further away before the door opened and moonlight streamed in for a few seconds, then shut, leaving him completely alone, without a friend in the world.


	4. Chapter 4

“Prince Roman, come quickly!” someone cried. They were pounding on his door.

Roman rubbed his eyes as he leapt out of bed, his heart pounding. “What, what is it?” he exclaimed, throwing the door open to see a young messenger standing there. “What happened?”

“Your squire, sir, the one presumed dead, he was found wandering the forest by a patrol of knights early this morning, he’s with the healer, he--”

But Roman was already running down the hall. He knew the way to Logan’s infirmary by heart, and he was sprinting as fast as he could despite the fatigue in his limbs that wouldn’t go away. _Patton? Patton is alive? Patton!_ He rounded a corner and slammed right into Virgil, who was panting and crying. Without a word, he grabbed Virgil’s hand and continued running with him until they reached the infirmary.

“Patton?” Virgil choked out, bursting through the door.

Logan was standing over someone laying in a bed. He rushed over to Virgil and Roman, his hands outstretched. “Slowly,” he pleaded. “He…”

Roman held back a sob as he looked at Patton, who was unconscious. He looked like he weighed half as much as he had previously, and he was injured and bloodstained, and Roman couldn’t even see half the extent of his wounds. “Patton,” he whispered.

“He was barely conscious when they brought him to me this morning,” Logan said quietly. “His injuries are severe, but not life-threatening, and he will need a lot of time to recover from near-starvation. He did not say much to me before becoming extremely distressed, and I gave him something to help him sleep peacefully.”

Crying openly, Virgil asked, “What happened to him?”

“I...gathered through his rambling that he was taken by the Dragon Witch, and tortured,” Logan replied.

Virgil nodded tightly. “Can I touch him?” he breathed.

“Be very gentle, and do not wake him.” Logan stepped aside and Virgil could clearly barely restrain himself from leaping at Patton. He walked forward slowly.

Kneeling down next to the bed, Virgil took Patton’s hand very carefully. His shoulders shook as he sobbed, pressing the hand to his forehead. “Patton…”

Roman took a hesitant step towards the bed. “My god,” he muttered. “He looks…” _Nearly dead. Which is better than completely dead, which is what I thought he was five minutes ago._ He struggled to take it all in.

“Roman? Virgil? I have...every reason to believe he will make a full recovery,” Logan told them. “I need to keep tending to his injuries. You both may stay, as long as you are quiet and don't overexcite him when he wakes up.”

“He'll be okay?” Roman made sure. He touched Patton's hair gingerly, afraid that he might hurt his friend if he applied too much pressure.

“I cannot speak for him emotionally or psychologically, but his injuries will heal and he probably doesn't have severe enough malnutrition for there to be long-lasting effects. And...Patton’s strength and resilience cannot be underestimated. Not many people could have survived what he seems to have been through.” Logan cut away the tattered remnants of Patton’s shirt with a pair of dulled shears, revealing even more injuries.

Virgil made a pained sound. “Oh, god,” he rasped. “Oh, god, _Patton_ …”

“If this is too distressing for you, Virgil, you do not have to stay,” Logan said. He was washing the dirt and blood off Patton’s torso in preparation to clean and bandage his wounds.

“I'm not fucking leaving him,” Virgil stated. “Never.”

Roman sat down beside him with his back against the side of the bed. He put a tired hand on Virgil’s arm. “We're not going anywhere. I...don't want to overwhelm him, I'll just sit here, I…I didn't sleep for more than an hour or so last night, everything just wouldn't stop hurting,” he confessed. “I know that doesn't seem important now that Patton is here and alive and--but I am so fucking tired.”

“Should have come to me or sent for me,” Logan said distractedly. He was focusing on Patton, but could still carry on a conversation. “I have medicines that have helped you with that.”

“I didn't want to bother you. Besides, I thought I would be able to sleep as late as I needed this morning.” Roman leaned his head against Virgil, yawning. “But oh, _god_ , Patton is here and...he's alive. Patton is alive!”

Virgil sniffled. “Yeah, he is,” he said, hardly sounding like he believed his own words. “He is. And Ro, if you need to close your eyes for a minute, go ahead, you know? We'll wake you if anything happens.”

“I don't want to…” But Roman yawned again. The ache in his body wasn't as strong as it had been last night. He might actually be able to get some sleep. “Promise me you'll wake me if he says anything, or opens his eyes, or…”

“Promise,” Virgil assured him. “You can rest against me if you want. I'm not moving.”

“Alright, I'm just gonna…” Roman adjusted his weight and closed his eyes. He fell into a sort of half-sleep, the occasional soft murmur from Logan or Virgil breaking into his dreams. Then--

“Patton?”

Roman’s eyes opened immediately.

“Patton, you’re alright, you’re safe,” Virgil was saying. “I’m here, Patton, I’m here.”

“Virgil…”

Roman stood up and turned to look at Patton. His squire’s eyelashes were fluttering. “Hey, there, Patton,” he said gently.

At the sound of his voice, Patton’s eyes snapped open. He stared at Roman in shock and confusion.

“Patton? Patty, it...it’s me, it’s Roman.”

“I thought you--she said you were dead!” Patton said. He sounded...well, Roman wasn’t sure, but it was something along the lines of ‘freaked out’.

“I’m not, I’m alive. The…” Roman winced. “The Dragon Witch told you I was dead?”

Patton nodded warily.

“Well, I’m not. I promise. Logan saved me, just like he’s saving you, okay? We’re all fine.” Roman reached to touch Patton’s cheek, wanting to comfort him, but Patton flinched. “Okay, no touching. That's alright.”

“Patton, I have done what I can for your injuries,” Logan said. “If you are in pain still, I can give you something to help with that.”

Instead of answering, Patton closed his eyes.

“Patton?” Virgil said. He frowned. “Lo, is he okay?”

“He…” Logan’s hands fluttered around Patton’s face and neck, checking his breathing rate and pulse. “He seems to be unconscious again. His body is exhausted, as is his mind, I am sure. He may drift in and out of consciousness for quite a while. Perhaps it would be best to give him some space.”

“I’m not _leaving_ him!” Virgil snapped.

“Trying to talk to him before he is ready may only make him stressed,” Logan replied. “Virgil, go with Roman and get something to eat, then bring some food back here. We all need our strength, and I am hoping that I can get Patton to eat something the next time he wakes up.”

“But--”

“Virgil,” Roman said. He took Virgil’s hand carefully, prying it off Patton’s wrist. “It’s alright, it’s okay. Patton isn’t going anywhere, and Logan’s right, we need to stay strong for Patton. You haven’t been eating much in the past few weeks, have you?”

Virgil shook his head. “Haven’t been hungry.”

“Well, let’s go get something together. That’s it, stand up.” Guiding the reluctant Virgil towards the door and tugging him along firmly when he tried to look back over his shoulder, Roman told Logan, “We’ll be back in an hour?”

“Yes, that’s fine.” Logan nodded at him.

“We'll go to the kitchens and then find somewhere quiet to sit for a while,” Roman told Virgil, closing the door behind them. “That's it, come on now.”

“How are you being so calm about this?” Virgil wondered.

“No idea. Actually, I'm not calm at all, Virge, I'm the opposite of calm.” Roman kept a steady hand on Virgil’s back as they walked through the palace towards the kitchen. “But I think you _need_ me to be calm more than I might need to visibly freak out.”

Virgil let out a huff of nervous laughter. “Well, thank you, I guess?”

“I have to stay calm for you so that you can stay calm for Patton,” Roman said. “Because he needs us both now, more than he ever has before.”

Shaking slightly, Virgil said, “I know. I know.” His legs were trembling.

“Easy, easy,” murmured Roman. He pulled Virgil off to the side of the corridor, holding onto his shoulders so he wouldn't fall. “Virgil, easy.”

“God--I'm trying, it's just... _Patton_ , and he's...he must be in so much pain, and--” Virgil broke off abruptly.

“Yeah, I know.”

“Did you _see_ him? He was...there wasn't an inch of him that wasn't bruised or bleeding! God, what he must have gone through, and all the while we weren't even looking for him! Why--why weren't we…”

“We didn't know!” Roman said. “Virgil! We didn't know. Look, I've blamed myself enough, and I'm not gonna let you do it, too. We have him now. He's safe. We've got him. And that's all that matters.”

Virgil tried to nod. He reached up and took a hold of Roman’s wrist. “Okay. Okay, I know.”

“Can you keep walking now? You've got to eat so you can be strong enough to take care of him.”

“I'm good, yeah. Thanks.” Virgil started walking again, still shaking a little but steady enough to keep going.

“We're gonna get through this, Virge,” Roman said. “All of us. Got it?”

“Thanks. Don't know if I can believe that, but thanks.”

Roman took his hand. They got to the kitchens, where they each got a bowl of soup and some bread. Virgil didn't seem to have much of an appetite. “Virgil, _eat_ it. Don't just move the spoon around,” Roman chastised.

“Sorry. I'm just worried.”

“I know. But you really ought to eat, Virge. Patton would want you to eat.” Roman was also having a hard time getting the food down. There was a lump in his throat that made it difficult to swallow. Both of them eventually managed to force themselves to eat, then brought some food back to the infirmary.

“Thank you,” Logan said. He took the food and put it aside. “Patton is still unconscious. He’ll likely stay that way for a while. Do not feel obliged to stay.”

“We’re staying,” Virgil stated, and that was that.

* * *

Patton had taken to singing to himself to stay sane. He thought it had probably been about a week since Nathair had left disguised as him, and he hadn’t spoken to another person since. When he fell asleep, he would sometimes wake up to find food and water. The dishes would disappear completely after the food had gone. He didn’t question it too much, figuring it was probably some sort of magic.

The songs he sang were mostly nonsense words set to simple tunes that he knew well. He would lay on his back and sing songs that he remembered Roman singing, with tears pouring down his face. He never tried to wipe them away. Patton sang the songs he used to hum to Virgil when he would have bad dreams, hoping they would stave off nightmares of his own. It never worked, but it made him feel better in the moment.

His ankle still ached horribly from being broken, but he could stand up now. The top of his head brushed the bars of the cage above him. They were rustier than the rest of the cage, and he tried not to touch them, not particularly eager to spend his final days sick and in pain from any disease that might be lurking in the crevices and sharp spurs in the metal.

Patton began to wonder if he would ever see or touch another living being again. Would the Dragon Witch really just leave him there to die? _Well, what else does she need me for now?_ he thought. _No chance of escape, so I might as well just accept it._

Then one day, the cave door rolled to the side. Patton heard it before he saw it, sitting up in a blind panic with the memories of the torture that the sound brought coursing through his mind. He curled in on himself and wished for somewhere to hide.

The footsteps of the Dragon Witch stomped into the cave and the door shut. Patton waited for the cage door to be wrenched open and for the pain to start, but it didn’t. A yellow glow began to pulse near the cave entrance. Patton could just barely make out the dragon’s silhouette.

Several minutes passed before anything else happened. A few irritated hisses filled the air, but the Dragon Witch didn’t say anything. Then--

“Sorry I’m late.”

Patton shivered. It was his own voice.

“Why _are_ you late?” demanded the Dragon Witch.

“You would not believe how difficult it is to get those sentimental idiots to leave you alone for ten minutes,” Nathair said distastefully. “Acting damaged and pathetic and needy is getting to me. I hate it.”

“When I have control of the heir to the throne, you can stop. Until then, I need a spy. What have you learned?”

“Ah.” Nathair hesitated. “Glad I’m only projecting for this and not telling it to you in person. It’s Prince Roman. He survived.”

 _What?_ Patton almost let out a cry of shock. _Roman is alive?_

“WHAT?” the Dragon Witch bellowed.

“Believe me, I was as surprised and disappointed as you are. But apparently so.”

Angry snarling made Patton flinch and hold himself tighter. That fury was going to be taken out on him, he could tell. But...Roman was alive. He could take it.

“Well, kill him again!”

“I’m supposed to be the weak, meek, recently tortured Patton,” Nathair retorted. “Even if I _could_ kill him, which would be rather difficult with this puny body, they would suspect something is up. The bastard of a nobleman’s son already has suspicions of some sort.”

 _Virgil…_ Patton covered his mouth with his hand, trembling. _Of course he suspects something. He notices everything. My sweet, darling Virgil. He’ll figure it out. He won’t let Nathair hurt anyone._

“Four of the siblings have to be killed,” the Dragon Witch said. “There can’t be anyone to contest the claim when we take the fifth. And according to you, Roman can’t be the one who survives.”

“He’s incompetent and weak and--”

“No, it’s because you hate him,” the Dragon Witch said irately. “And I don’t _care_ which one is left alive. Get rid of one of them before your next report, Nathair.”

“I’ve spent most of this week pretending to be unconscious so I don’t have to deal with anyone fawning over me. God, the way they talk about him is disgusting. ‘Patton this, Patton that’. And they all want to _touch_ me. It’s testing my ability to pretend to care.”

“You can stop, if you can pull it off. I don’t care if you cut contact with his friends as long as you still have access to the information. Tell Roman you blame him for your capture if you want. That might make them leave you alone,” suggested the Dragon Witch.

“Clever,” Nathair acknowledged.

_Oh, god, he’ll take that so seriously. He’ll never forgive himself if he thinks I blame him._

“I have nothing else to report this time. They won’t tell me anything about the military movements, they say I ‘don’t have to worry about that, Patton, just rest’.” His voice got high-pitched and mocking. “It’s absolutely nauseating.”

“Find something more useful to tell me next time. And kill one of the heirs!”

“I’ll do my best.” The yellow glow faded.

Patton braced himself for whatever the Dragon Witch was going to do to him. But the cave door opened, then closed, and Patton was left alone in the darkness once again. He resumed his singing.


	5. Chapter 5

It was the second time in two weeks that Roman had woken up to a messenger knocking on his door. But while the first time had brought him news of joy, this one brought only grief. His sister, the second oldest of the five siblings, had become ill in the night and even Logan hadn’t been able to save her.

Roman sat on his bed, unable to process the news. He hadn’t even been  _ close _ to Mina. He wasn’t close to any of his siblings. He had never spent much time with them. But still, she was his sister.

He thought maybe he should go talk to Logan, who was probably feeling awful that he had lost a patient. He couldn’t seem to get up from his bed, though.

What could have been hours or only a few minutes later, there was a quiet knock on his door.  _ More messengers? _ Roman thought dully.

It was just Virgil, who opened the door after a minute of Roman not answering. “Hi,” he said softly. “How are you doing?”

“How do you think I’m doing?” muttered Roman.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know.” Virgil sat down on the bed next to him. “I figured you hadn’t eaten, and it’s after noon. Here.” He handed Roman a pastry. “Not really a meal, but I thought...something sweet might go down easier.”

Roman turned the pastry over in his hands, gazing at it tiredly. “I’m not hungry,” he said.

“I know. Eat it anyway.”

“How’s Logan doing?” Roman asked, changing the subject.

“Not good. Eat the pastry.”

“You should go to him instead. I’m fine.”

“No, you aren’t,” countered Virgil. “And he prefers to be alone. You don’t. You  _ pretend _ to, but you need company. I’m not going anywhere. Eat the pastry.”

Roman took a bite. It was dry and tasteless in his mouth. “Everything is just so  _ wrong _ , Virgil,” he said.

“Yeah?”

“First Patton--and now we have him back, but he’s acting so strangely, it doesn’t  _ feel _ like we have him back. And now Mina. And I feel like I should be more upset, but...I barely even knew her.”

“Well...Patton is still recovering,” Virgil said, though there was hesitation in his voice. “I’m sure he’ll be okay eventually. He’s probably just adjusting to being back. And about Mina...well, it still must hurt.”

“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Roman confessed.

“That’s okay.” Virgil nudged his arm. “Can you finish eating the pastry?”

Roman managed to finish it. He leaned onto Virgil’s shoulder with a tired sigh. “Who’s with Patton?”

“He’s in the infirmary. Logan is there, too.”

“I wouldn’t think you’d leave his side right now.” Roman hoped he didn’t sound accusational. He really was just curious.

“He…” Virgil swallowed. “He doesn’t seem to want me around right now.”

“Really?” Roman asked incredulously. “But...but it’s Patton. You two are inseparable.”

“I don’t know,” Virgil snapped. “I don’t want him to be pushing me away, but here we are.”

“I swear I would have expected him to be curled up in your lap constantly after everything he’s been through.”

“Me--” Virgil’s voice shook and broke. “Me too, Ro. But I guess he’s just not ready yet, and the last thing I want to do is push him to do anything he’s not comfortable with.”

Roman nodded. “Okay. I understand.” He brushed a couple of crumbs off his knee. “It was just so unexpected, you know?” he said suddenly. “It wasn’t like she had been sick. I can’t even remember her ever getting a cold when we were kids.”

Virgil took his hand. “Logan can’t explain it, either,” he murmured. “It was very sudden. Do you...um, Logan told me what happened. I can tell you, if you want. But you don’t have to know the details if...if that might make it worse.”

“No, go ahead. I want to know.” Roman put his head down on Virgil’s shoulder.

“She had been in her chambers with her friend--the chef’s assistant, do you know her?”

Roman almost laughed. They hadn’t just been  _ friends _ . “Yes, I know her.”

“Well, apparently...Mina started having difficulty breathing. Her friend called for help, and when Logan got there, she was already unconscious. Logan tried, but she...she was gone, after about ten minutes. Logan thinks it might have been a problem with her heart, but he can’t say for sure.” Virgil squeezed his hand. “Roman, I’m really sorry.”

Biting his lip, Roman spoke past the sudden lump in his throat. “It’s okay, Virge. Thank you for telling me.”

“Of course. Do you...um, do you want to just sit here for a while?”

Roman had tears in his eyes, though he wasn’t sure why. He nodded and pressed his face into Virgil’s shirt.

“Gotcha,” Virgil said. “Gotcha, Ro.”

Many hours later, Roman decided that he needed to go to the infirmary. Virgil hung back slightly to give him and Logan a chance to talk.

Logan opened the door. He looked tired. “I’m sorry,” was all he said as he saw Roman.

“It’s not your fault,” Roman answered.

“I couldn’t--”

“You did your best.”

“There was nothing I could do,” Logan whispered.

“I know.” Roman pulled him into a hug without asking for permission. To his surprise, Logan returned it and leaned into the embrace.

“Your father is devastated,” Logan mumbled.

“Of course he is. Mina was his favorite daughter.”

“I am...afraid that he will decide that I am no longer able to serve in the palace.”

Roman’s eyes widened. “No!” he exclaimed. “It was not your fault, Logan, there is absolutely no way he can blame you for it.”

“But he does.”

“I won’t let him,” Roman said, holding Logan tighter. “I won’t let him. Surely he remembers how you saved my life? He must know that you would never let any of us die if there was  _ anything _ you could do.”

Logan pulled back after a few moments, and Roman let him go. “I don’t think your father is thinking rationally right now,” he said.

Roman swallowed hard. “I won't let him send you away,” he whispered fiercely. “I promise.” He looked past Logan to see Patton sitting cross-legged on his bed, his face inexpressive. “Patton, hey. How are you?”

“I'm fine. Roman, can I talk to you for a minute?” Patton asked.

A bit surprised, Roman nodded. Patton hadn't wanted to talk to him at all over the past few days. “Of course, Patty. What's up?” He took a step, intending to go sit down next to Patton, but there was a harsh, unfamiliar glare in Patton’s eyes that told him not to get any closer. “What is it?” Roman said again, and a sense of apprehension and fear rose up inside him, something he wasn't used to feeling around Patton. “Patton, what is it?”

Late that night, Roman was pacing back and forth in his room, having locked the door, tormented by guilt. Patton hated him. Patton  _ blamed _ him. Patton never wanted to see him again.

Roman would never forgive himself.

Virgil had gone after Patton first, but had come back in tears. “H-he won't, he…d-doesn’t want to t-talk to me, either,” he stammered. “Roman, I'm s-sorry, I don't know why h-he…”

Roman had shaken his head. “No, he's right. He's right. It is my fault. He  _ should _ blame me.” He started to head towards the door.

“Roman, wait,” Logan said, reaching for him.

“My fault,” Roman said numbly. He ignored Logan and kept walking.

“Roman, please…”

But Roman had left, and locked himself in his room. He didn't answer the door to Virgil knocking and calling for him. Eventually, Virgil gave up.

But then, hours later, Virgil knocked on the door again. “Roman, you need to answer me,” he shouted. “You  _ need _ to answer me,  _ now _ .”

The urgency in his voice made Roman unlock the door. “What is--"

Virgil threw himself at Roman, sobbing. “Y-your father, Roman, he's d-decided…”

Hardly breathing, Roman froze. “No...Logan?”

“He has to leave tomorrow morning,” Virgil wailed.

“No! I...I’ll talk to my father, I won't…” Roman pushed Virgil away from him. “I'm going to talk to my father, now.”

“Please, please, make him let Logan stay,” Virgil begged.

Roman nodded and ran.

But his father wouldn't be convinced. He was completely distraught over his daughter's death and needed someone to blame. When Roman made his way slowly back to his room, he found Virgil sitting on the floor with Logan, who seemed...numb. Resigned.

Virgil looked up hopefully. “Roman,” he breathed.

Roman only shook his head. “I'm so sorry, Logan.”

“It is not your fault,” Logan said.

“Please, just forgive me,” Roman pleaded. He dropped to his knees in front of his friends. “I need you to forgive me.”

Logan met his eyes and took his hands. “Roman, I forgive you.”

Roman’s lower lip trembled. “I don't want you to have to leave.”

Tentatively, Logan pulled him closer and rested their foreheads together. “And I don't want to leave.”

“Where will you go?” Roman whispered.

“Back to the town I came from, I suppose,” Logan answered. “I have a brother there still.”

“How far away is that?” asked Roman.

“A few hours on horseback.”

“I'll come to see you,” Roman promised, his voice shaking. He wondered why his heart was aching so much at the prospect of Logan leaving him. “Logan, I…”

“Not necessary, my Prince, you have your responsibilities here,” Logan murmured.

“I'll leave you two to talk,” Virgil whispered, and he left the room.

Their foreheads still touching, Roman and Logan sat there in silence for a minute. Roman opened his eyes slowly, gazing into Logan's grey-blue eyes. He had never really looked at them before. “Do you not want me to visit you?” Roman asked.

“I would rather you remembered me as I am here, the palace healer, not the…” Logan laughed bitterly. “Well, let's just say, my previous position wasn't quite as prestigious.”

“I don't care,” Roman insisted. “Do you understand? I don't care. I just want  _ you _ .”

Logan breathed in sharply. “Roman.”

“I can't...everything that's happened today, Logan, my sister died...and Patton hates me...and if you tell me that I'll never see you again, too, I won't be able to live with it, Logan, I need you,” Roman burst out.

“Oh,” breathed Logan. “I…”

“Just...say I can visit you.” Roman felt Logan's hand rest on the back of his head. Suddenly, it felt like they were sitting very close together.

“Please do,” Logan said. “If you feel like you can, Prince.”

“Of course I can.” Roman found himself holding Logan's hand, his other hand on the healer’s lower back.

“To...to my own surprise,” Logan started, “I have found myself...with affection for you, Prince Roman, and...I would feel your absence, if I were never to see you again.”

Roman let out a choked laugh that was almost a sob. “Love you too, Logan.” Impulsively, he added, “Let me come with you tomorrow.”

“Come with me?” echoed Logan. “You can't, my Prince. You have your sister's funeral to--"

“Not my job to plan,” Roman insisted. “We have people to do that for us.”

“Your father…”

“Doesn't have to know where I am. Please,” Roman said. “Please, I don't want to be alone.”

“Virgil…”

“He's going to be busy trying to get through to Patton. No matter what Patton says, Virgil won't let him be alone, especially now that you're…” Roman couldn't finish the sentence.  _ Leaving _ . Logan was leaving. Suddenly, he threw his arms around Logan, holding him close. He didn't want to let go.

“Roman?”

“I know,” Roman choked out. “I know you don't like being hugged, but, please, let me have a couple more seconds, please…”

“Yes, it's alright,” Logan said quietly. “I don't mind it, Roman. It's quite alright. But I think it would be better if you didn't accompany me. Easier. For me, at least. And I apologize for that.”

“No, don't apologize. It's fine, I shouldn't have assumed...it's fine.” Roman tried to let go. To his shock, Logan was holding onto him now. “Lo?”

“I don't want to leave,” whispered Logan. “Roman, I don't want to leave!”

“Oh, oh…”

“I have worked so hard to get here! I never...never believed I would come so far. And now…”

To Roman’s absolute horror, he felt Logan shake with a sob. “Logan!”

“I'm sorry, I don't know what's coming over me.” Logan scrambled backwards, pushing Roman away from him and desperately trying to hide his tears. “I am alright, really.”

“Oh, Logan…” Roman was overcome with sympathy. “I'm so sorry. It wasn't your fault, please tell me you know that.”

“I do, I know, but your father doesn't. It isn't that, it's simply…” Logan hid his face, pulling his knees up to his chest. He looked very small. “I had never expected to feel...at home, anywhere. And I just don't want to leave.”

“Logan, look at me.” Roman reached out and grabbed his wrist. “It's going to be okay.”

“I don't want to leave,” Logan repeated. “I don't want to leave.” His voice was strained. It was clear that he was forcing himself not to cry.

“Shhh, Logan. Shhh…” Roman tilted Logan's chin up. “Logan, it's going to be alright. I promise.”

Logan held a shaking hand in front of his eyes. “I'm being ridiculous.”

Roman pried his hand away. “No. Oh, god, Logan, this shouldn't be happening to you. Hey, listen to me! I'm gonna...I'm gonna find a way to bring you back, okay? I'll talk to my father, he'll...eventually, he'll see things more clearly and he'll let you come back because, Logan, you're the best healer this palace--this  _ kingdom _ has ever had, and my father is blinded by grief right now but he's intelligent, he really is, he'll come around eventually, he  _ has _ to.”

“It's alright, I...don't need your reassurances.”

“Like hell you don't--but maybe I do, ever think of that? I need to believe I'll find a way.” Roman took him by the shoulders and practically dragged him into a tight embrace, squeezing the healer against his chest until Logan stopped fighting it and went limp against him. “And I'll come visit you, I promise. Nobody cares where I go, being fifth--fourth in line. Nobody cares about me.”

“I care about you,” Logan told him.

“No, I meant…” Roman’s heart ached. “I know you do, Logan.”

“Roman?”

“What is it?”

Logan sniffed. “Might I...stay with you tonight? I apologize if that's presumptuous, but I don't want to spend my final night at home alone."

“Yes,” Roman said immediately. “Yes, of  _ course _ , Logan.”

“Thank you.” Logan pulled away, wiping his eyes a final few times. “I...I have to…well,  _ pack _ .”

Roman winced. “Of course. Should I come with you, or…”

“No, no, I'll do it on my own and then come back.” Logan stood up, a little bit shaky. “Thank you, Roman, I'll be alright.”

“A relative term,” Roman muttered.

Logan’s mouth twitched. “Quite.” He left the room.

Roman closed his eyes slowly. After a minute, he stood up and undressed into his nightclothes. Then he sat down on the edge of his bed. His body was exhausted. He felt  _ heavy _ , like some weight was dragging him down. He could barely imagine life without Logan. The aching in his heart became nearly unbearable when he thought about the empty infirmary. He wondered if they would get a replacement healer. It would probably be necessary, though Roman didn't like the idea of someone else in Logan's place, doing Logan's job, and not being Logan. 

He laid down in his bed, staring up at the ceiling by the light of a single candle on the small table next to him. He didn't know who had lit it. Such a long time passed that he started to wonder if Logan wasn't going to come back, if he was just going to slip away because he thought it would be easier.

But then the door opened again and Logan came in, blowing out the candle and sliding into bed next to Roman. He said nothing, probably thinking that Roman was asleep. His breathing was shaky and quick, Roman could hear it. He could practically hear Logan's heartbeat, they lay so close together. But Logan didn't touch him.

“Logan…” Roman murmured. “Breathe.”

Logan flinched. “I don't want to fall asleep, because then tomorrow will seem to arrive sooner,” he whispered.

“I know. You need to rest, though, please." Roman touched his arm.

“I  _ can't  _ fall asleep like this.”

“You mean, in my bed?” Roman could barely make out that Logan was nodding, his body turned away. “Why not?”

“Because you...because you are here, and I can't...or I shouldn't…”

The way Logan was fumbling for words made Roman pause. “Logan?”

“I'm sorry,” Logan said. “I should never have asked to stay with you, it was a selfish and...foolish request.” But he didn't move to leave.

“Why?” Roman asked. “I want you here, too, why is it selfish?”

“If I told you, you would want me to go.”

Roman inhaled sharply. “I doubt that,” he muttered. “Please, tell me.”

“I  _ can't _ .”

“Are you in love with me?” The question slipped from his lips so quickly that he didn't have time to catch it and stop it. He cursed himself immediately, trying to think of how he could pass it off as a joke, when--

“Yes,” Logan whispered, so quietly that Roman wasn't sure if he had heard correctly.

“What?” Roman said numbly. Again, “What?”

“I...I'm sorry.” Logan tried to get out of bed, but Roman grabbed his wrist. “I apologize, Prince, I should not have said--"

“Get back here, don't...don't you dare leave me now,” Roman said. “Lay down, lay  _ down _ .” He managed to pull Logan back down onto the bed, where the healer lay still, like he was frozen in fear. “Why...why didn't you tell me?” he asked, his voice soft.

“Many reasons,” Logan answered, refusing to look at Roman’s face. “You are a Prince, for one, and I am nothing. Another reason is that I only just realized it today.”

“Oh,” Roman said. “I don't care, you know, that I'm a Prince. That doesn't matter to me.”

“And I have no way of knowing if by some small chance, the feelings are reciprocated.” Logan sounded very small and ashamed.

“You could ask me,” Roman suggested. His heart was pounding.

“Roman?”

“Because the answer would be yes, you know. Yes, of course I love you.” Once again, the words were spilling out faster than he could keep up with them. “I don't think I realized it until now, either, but I've loved you for…weeks. Longer, probably.”

“What…what?”

Roman laughed breathlessly. “You heard me.”

“I don't know how to respond.”

“An ‘I love you, too’ would probably suffice,” Roman said giddily.

“I love you, too,” whispered Logan. Finally, he turned onto his side to face Roman, and their eyes met in the darkness. For a moment, neither of them knew what to say. Roman decided that neither of them needed to say anything.

He put his arms around Logan's waist and pulled him close. Their bodies were pressed together. Logan didn't pull away. Encouraged, Roman tilted his head forward, intending to find Logan's lips with his own.

“No...no, don't,” Logan said shakily. “Please, Roman, don't.”

Roman stopped. “Okay, I won't.” He was confused. “Why?”

Logan tried to take a deep breath. “Because if you kiss me, I won't leave tomorrow.”

“I'm fine with that.”

“Please, Roman. It hurts too much already.”

Roman bit his lip. “I'm not going to kiss you,” he promised. “Not if you don't want me to. Someday?”

“Someday,” Logan agreed.

“Can I...hold you, at least?” Roman asked.

“Hold me?”

“Yeah, hold you,” Roman repeated. “Please, let me hold you.”

“I...alright.” Logan closed his eyes.

Roman reached up and stroked Logan's hair gently. He didn't say anything else, just pulled the healer into his arms and held him. He felt Logan sigh and relax against him.

“Thank you,” murmured Logan.

“You need to sleep,” Roman told him. “You have a long journey tomorrow.”

“I know.” Logan shivered. “I…”

“Shhh, I know, you don't want to.” Roman tucked his chin over the top of Logan's head. He noticed suddenly how small Logan was. Even though Roman had lost a significant amount of weight since his illness after the injury from the Dragon Witch, Logan was still several inches shorter and much narrower than him. He felt fragile in Roman’s arms. “Go to sleep, hush.”

Logan's body shuddered again. He burrowed closer to Roman.

“Are you cold?”

“No,” Logan replied.

Roman nodded and stroked his back. “It’s going to be okay, Logan. I love you.”

“Always such a romantic,” Logan muttered. “You have much higher hopes for the situation than I do. You’re too optimistic for your own good.”

“Hush, you.” Roman’s heart felt lighter than it had in awhile. “Maybe it is silly to be optimistic...but something tells me that it's going to be okay, someday.”

“I hope you're right,” Logan said, and his breathing began to slow.

Hoping he was falling asleep, Roman didn't keep talking. He knew this couldn't last, but having Logan in his arms just felt so  _ right _ . He closed his eyes. All too soon, he fell asleep as well.

And when he woke up in the morning, Logan was already gone.

* * *

It was the fourth time in a row that Patton had woken up crying instead of screaming. He was starting to think that the nightmares were better than the good dreams, because at least the nightmares were honest. The good dreams, where he was home and safe and being held by his friends, just made waking up worse.

If Patton was keeping track of the days correctly, it had been a week since Nathair had visited the Dragon Witch. That meant that he would probably be back soon. Patton wondered if it would happen inside the cave again: if he would be able to listen, or if he would be kept in the dark.

When the Dragon Witch came into the cave, the air shimmered immediately. Nathair’s yellow glow and sarcastic cadence even with Patton’s voice was unmistakable. “You wanted progress?”

“You're on time,” the Dragon Witch acknowledged.

“It's been easier to get away over the past few days. The only one who's still trying is the nobleman’s bastard,” Nathair said.

Patton felt such a pang in his heart at his longing for Virgil that he almost cried out.

“And what of the others?”

“Princess Mina is dead,” Nathair stated. “Poisoned, three days ago. They don't know that she was assassinated--the healer pronounced her death as heart failure, and the King was so angry at his inability to save her that he banished him from the palace.”

_ Oh no, oh god, oh Logan… _

“Excellent,” the Dragon Witch purred.

“A new healer is being called in, he'll be here in a few days. If you want to strike at the army, now would be a good time for that.”

“Will it be on the move anytime soon?”

“Well…” Nathair hesitated. “As far as I know, there aren't any plans to do so. But if you'd like, I can pull some strings.”

“That would be appreciated. Striking too close to the palace would not be wise yet.”

“Agreed. Where do you want the army to go?” asked Nathair.

“Anywhere, as long as you tell me. Oh, and make sure that Prince Roman is with them. I think he should be the next one we cross off the list, don't you?”

Nathair sighed loudly. “I wanted him to have to watch three of his siblings die before him.”

“Well, we don't always get what we want, do we?” the Dragon Witch said.

“Fine.” Nathair paused. “I know exactly where Roman can be convinced to take the army. I'll report back to you when I have a confirmation of the plan.”

“Don't fail me, Nathair,” the Dragon Witch warned.

“Have I ever done so before?” Nathair retorted. His glow faded before the Dragon Witch could respond. A low, irritated growl could be heard echoing around the cave before the door rolled to the side and she left into the night.

Patton could barely breathe. They were planning to ambush Roman and the army. Roman had to be warned! But Patton was helpless to do anything about it. He couldn't reach his friends, couldn't do  _ anything. _

In frustration, he stood up and paced the couple of steps that the side of the cage would allow. He reached up and touched the bars above him. Some of the rust fell away into his hand, a fairly large amount. He frowned. He pressed a bit harder on the bar, almost clawing at it. The rusted metal practically fell apart under his fingernails.

And Patton got an idea. It was a stupid idea, a terrifying idea, an idea that almost certainly would not work. But it was an idea, and it gave him hope. That was more than he’d had a minute ago, so it had to be enough.


	6. Chapter 6

Roman barely remembered his mother's funeral. It had happened when he was only seven years old. He remembered it being formal and somber, and he remembered that he had been forced into a stiff, itchy, horribly uncomfortable black outfit. Hundreds of citizens had shown up to pay their respects. There had been food afterwards for everyone who belonged inside the palace, while everyone outside had to fend for themselves and make their way back to their poor villages, where there probably wouldn't be an extravagant feast prepared for them.

That was what Roman remembered. He couldn't recall his father's speech, or the endless string of condolences and statements of how much she would be missed. The clothes, the crowd, and the food was all that he had retained.

What he was most surprised that he didn't remember, though, was how incredibly  _ long _ the whole event was. Mina’s funeral lasted from just before noon until past five in the afternoon--and that was just the priests and relatives talking. The reception lasted for hours after that, well into the night, past dinner and into the time that Roman would truly rather spend sleeping.

Exhausted of keeping up the show of the gracious, poised, grieving brother, Roman finally excused himself when there were less than a hundred people left in the banquet hall. One black-clad young man would hardly be missed, especially since nobody paid much attention to him anyway.

He found Virgil waiting in his room, sitting on his bed with a book. “Hey,” Virgil greeted. “Didn't know if you'd want company or not. I'll leave if it's ‘not’.”

“No, don't leave.” Roman used his last bit of energy to toss his black clothing onto the ground. He pulled on his nightclothes, lingering without a shirt for a moment. He touched the scar on his chest. It was aching today. Normally, he would go to Logan for something to help with the pain, but…well, that wouldn't happen tonight. He put his nightshirt on and slumped down onto his bed.

“Do you want to go to sleep?” Virgil asked softly, putting his hand on Roman's knee. “You look exhausted.”

“I am, but I don't want to sleep yet.”

Virgil nodded. He indicated that Roman should lay down in his lap. Running his hand through Roman’s hair, he said, “Want to talk?”

“Yeah, have you talked to Patton today?” Roman asked.

“Um...for a minute. He doesn't really want to talk, especially not about...what happened to him.” Virgil stroked Roman’s hair again. “Roman, I don't think he’s really as angry at you as he says he is. He just doesn't want to be around people yet, and he's making excuses.”

“I don't need you to try and rationalize his feelings, Virgil. He has every right to blame me, to never want to see me again.” Roman closed his eyes. “I just want you to make sure he's okay. No matter what, that's the most important thing. That he's okay.”

“He's not okay,” Virgil said. “I know that much. He would never be acting like this if he was thinking like himself. I'll keep trying, but it's like…whatever bond we ever had, whatever love he ever had for me...it was broken by the Dragon Witch. And I don't know if he'll ever be able to feel it again.”

Roman didn't know what to say. He reached up and took Virgil's hand. “I'm sorry,” he said eventually.

“ _ I  _ don't blame you, not at all. I don't want your apologies.”

“What can I do, then?” Roman asked. “I...I want to help.”

“Promise you'll stay? Like...do your best, at least. Because without Logan, and without Patton, you're all I have.”

“Yeah. Back at you.”

“I don't want to be alone again,” Virgil said quietly.

“I know. I'm not going anywhere.”

Virgil looked down at him. “And Roman, that means not recklessly putting yourself in danger again. No going after the Dragon Witch alone, no matter how much you want to get revenge on her. You still haven't gotten all your strength back.”

“I know, I know,” muttered Roman. “I'm still completely useless.”

“I couldn't care less how  _ useful _ you are, Roman, you're still you. And I don't want to lose you. Got it?”

Roman gave him a tired smile. “I got it, Virge. Thanks.”

“Good.”

Yawning, Roman said, “Do you want to stay here tonight, or are you going to go and try to talk to Patton again?”

“I think maybe it's best if I leave him alone for now,” Virgil said reluctantly. “I might try again tomorrow.”

“So, staying?”

“That's what I was intending to do.”

“Good, I don't want to be alone.” Roman reached up to touch Virgil’s shoulder.

Virgil slid down to lay next to Roman. “You know they’re saying the new healer will be here tomorrow.”

Roman let out a sound of acknowledgement.

“Are you gonna go talk to him when he gets here?”

“Probably not.”

“Ro, you’re still not fully recovered from your injuries. Just a few minutes ago, you were wincing and rubbing at your scar.”

“I can handle a little pain,” Roman muttered.

Virgil poked Roman’s chest. “You shouldn’t have to. Okay, look. I know he isn’t going to be Logan--”

“You’re damn right he isn’t Logan. Nobody is Logan except for Logan,” snapped Roman. “And Logan isn’t here.”

“He’s only been gone three days, Ro. And you’re already planning to go to his town to see him in a few weeks.”

Roman rolled onto his side so Virgil couldn’t see his face. “I fucking miss him, Virge.”

“Yeah, I know. But still, you gotta go talk to this new healer guy to get something for the pain, Roman.”

“It's not that bad.”

“Liar.”

“So what if I am?”

Virgil shoved Roman roughly.

“Hey!”

“Just go to sleep and stop being so stubborn. I'm gonna drag you to this healer as soon as he gets here, and you're not gonna complain.” He shoved Roman again, pushing him until he fell onto his stomach.

“Ow, ow, that  _ hurts _ , Virgil!” Roman yelped.

“Exactly!”

“Point fucking taken, I guess.” Roman groaned and rolled back onto his side, rubbing at his chest.

“Are you gonna go to sleep now?”

“It hurts too much,” Roman admitted. “It's like...this awful, deep ache. I can never get comfortable. And it's not exactly like it has been, but the last time I actually slept was…”  _ With Logan in my arms _ , he finished silently.

“With Logan.”

Roman said nothing.

“Roman, I don't know what you think you have to hide from me.”

“What do you think you know?” Roman whispered.

“I know you love him, and that he loves you. I know he stayed in your room the night before he left.” The tone in Virgil’s voice was clearly hinting at something. It took Roman a second to figure it out.

“Oh--Virge, we didn’t…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to--”

“No, no, Virgil, oh my god.” Roman actually laughed. “Virge, he wouldn’t even let me  _ kiss _ him. We definitely didn’t do anything else.”

“Sorry to assume.” Virgil paused. “You do love him, though?”

“Of course I do.”

“And you tried to kiss him?”

“Mmhmm.”

“And...he didn't let you.” Virgil sounded slightly confused. “But he's in love with you, too. I know he is.”

“He thought...it would hurt too much to leave in the morning. If I kissed him.” Roman closed his eyes. “It hurt too much anyway.”

“Oh.”

“It's just...it sucks, Virge. It sucks. It hurts.”

“Go to sleep, Roman,” Virgil murmured.

“I ca... _ can't _ ,” Roman's voice broke. “It hurts too much.”

“Because of your injury, or…’cause of Logan?” Virgil asked gently.

“I don't  _ know _ ,” wailed Roman.

“Can I do anything?”

“No? I don't know!”

“Okay, okay, I get it. You don't know. Roman, take a deep breath in.” Virgil was serious, so Roman did as he said. “Hold it in for a few seconds. Now exhale, very slowly. And in again, deep breath.”

After just a few breaths like that, the ache in Roman’s chest eased slightly. The soreness around his scar didn't go away, but he felt better. His exhaustion suddenly reached the part of his mind that wouldn't let him sleep before. “How did you know that would work?” he mumbled.

“I didn't really. But it helps me sometimes.”

“Night, Virge...g’night…” Roman managed to say before he was asleep.

Morning came, and when Roman awoke, Virgil was still asleep. Roman decided not to wake him, and got dressed quietly. He slipped out of his room and started walking to the kitchen. He got a bit of food and headed back to his room. When he turned a corner, he wasn't expecting to bump right into someone who let out a yelp and fell backwards.

“Shit! I'm sorry!” cried Roman.

“Oh, it's alright!” the fallen person said cheerfully. He stood up, rubbing at a sore spot on his arm. “No ‘arm done.”

“I...I don't believe we've met,” Roman said. He held out his hand. “I'm Prince Roman.”

The man's eyes widened slightly. “Well, hello! I was going to come looking for you later today. Lovely to meet you, I'm Emile Picani. I'm the healer just hired by your father.”

Immediately, Roman stepped back and glared. “Oh.”

Emile tilted his head. “You aren't pleased to see me.”

“How did you guess?” Roman snapped.

“I must say, I didn't  _ think _ I could have done anything to offend you just yet. There's something else, then?” Emile asked. “Some reason that you don't want me here.”

Roman tried to side-step and walk past him, but Emile blocked his way. “If you'll excuse me,” Roman said, faux-politely.

“I don't think I will, not just yet.”

Taken aback, Roman said, “ _ What? _ ”

“Prince Roman.” Emile smiled warmly. “I take my job very seriously, and I'm here to take care of the residents in this palace. Including you. Walk with me, alright? Come to my quarters, let's talk. Whatever preconceived judgements you have of me, I'll try to see if I can convince you to let them go, and judge me for me. Hmm? And then, if you decide you still don't like me, that's fine. We can continue our relationship completely professionally, no friendship needed.”

Still stunned, Roman let Emile lead him down the corridor. Before he knew it, he was sitting in a chair in the healer’s quarters. He had never actually been here while Logan had lived in them. Some clothes and books were strewn around the room, a stack of sheets sitting on top of the unmade bed.

“My apologies for the state of the room, I haven't finished unpacking completely yet,” Emile said. “I only arrived a few hours ago.”

“Maybe I should leave you to your work, then,” Roman said, and tried to stand up.

“No, please stay!” exclaimed Emile. “I really would like to talk to you, Prince Roman.”

“I'm not sure what we have to talk about,” Roman said stiffly.

“Well, I am very curious about this grudge you seem to have against me.”

“I just don't think you should be here. That's all.” Roman refused to look him in the eye.

“Is that because of the unjust unemployment of my predecessor?” asked Emile.

Startled by how perceptive this man was, Roman didn't answer.

“You must have been close for you to be so protective over him. I can assure you that I'm not trying to take his place, Prince Roman. In fact, I am very much hoping that he will be able to return someday soon.”

“You don't think he deserved to be fired for Mina’s death, then?” Roman demanded.

“Truthfully, I don't know anything about it. But I met Logan once, several years ago. He struck me as a very intelligent and dedicated young man, who would never let a patient die if he could do anything about it. Now, I'm sure you know him better than I did.” Emile paused, waiting expectantly for Roman to respond.

“I do know him. He would have done anything.” Roman worried at his lip with his teeth. “It happened too fast for him to save her, even if it had been possible. My father needed someone he could blame.”

“It’s unfortunate, but something I've seen dozens of times before. Parents tend to have very strong reactions when their children die, and their emotions need an outlet. Some find healthy ways to cope, and many do not.” Emile looked solemn. “And most do not listen to my advice.”

“But it's not fair!” Roman burst out. “Logan deserved better. And now you have his job, and you're...you're working in his infirmary and sleeping in his quarters!”

“And he should be here, not me. But here I am,” Emile said calmly. “I was hired because someone needs to take care of the people in this palace. That is all I am here to do. I will do my job and, if the time comes that Logan can return, I will gladly relinquish the position to him and return home.”

“Oh.” Roman couldn't find it in himself to be angry anymore. “I…”

Emile smiled at him. He held out his hand. “Friends? Or at least friendly acquaintances?”

“Friends is fine,” Roman agreed, and shook his hand, surprised by how strong of a grip the man had. He didn't look particularly strong--he was actually rather small. But Roman supposed that looks could be misleading.

“Now that we're friends, Prince Roman, would it be alright if I asked you about the wound you sustained at the claws of the notorious Dragon Witch?” Emile asked.

Roman winced. “Um, I guess you can. Ask away. And, call me Roman. I don't need the Prince part from my friends.”

“Thank you, Roman, that's very kind of you. Now, about that wound. May I see the scar? My intellectual curiosity gets the better of me, and I've had to tend to many people with injuries poisoned by the Dragon Witch. None of them survived, however.”

“Logan saved me,” Roman said quietly. “He saved my life. I nearly died.”

“So I've heard.”

Roman took off his shirt, letting Emile look at the scar despite his discomfort. He hadn't really let anyone other than Logan and Virgil see him shirtless since the injury. Not only was the scar red and purple and ugly looking, he had lost so much weight during his illness that his muscle tone had wasted away. He hadn't been strong enough to gain it back, and he was very self-conscious about how his torso looked.

Emile only had eyes for the scar, however. “Strange,” he murmured, leaning forward in his chair to get a better look. “I had expected a much smaller wound. Something this large should have been impossible to recover from.”

“Logan--”

“Yes, I know. He saved your life.” Emile glanced up at him. “But don't downplay your own strength. A person with less willpower and determination to survive would not have made it.”

“You don't know me.”

“Call it intuition.” Emile reached out to touch the scar. “May I?”

“Sure, why not?” Roman sighed. He tried not to flinch when Emile touched him. The area was still sore from the extensive tissue damage, and although it was clear that Emile was trying to be gentle, even that slight pressure hurt.

“You're in a lot of pain, then,” Emile said quietly. “The scar tissue repaired your skin, so you no longer have an open wound, but most of the damage was internal, anyway. Did Logan tell you that only time will heal you completely?”

“Yes, he said that.”

“But there are ways to help with the pain.” Emile stood up. “Stay here, alright? I have a few things I already put in the infirmary that I'd like to try.”

“I...could come with you?”

“No, stay here. I prefer working in a more comfortable environment, and I haven't had time to personalize the infirmary yet. So, you can stay right here. I'll be back in a few minutes.” Emile patted his shoulder and left the room, his stride slightly bouncy.

Roman closed his eyes and breathed slowly. He touched his scar. Emile had something about him, some sort of air that made him seem trustworthy. That scared Roman. He didn't like trusting people. As he was considering running away, Emile came back into the room.

“Here, alright,” he said. “I have a few things that might help. Several different types of herbs in several forms, some taken orally and some topical. But I think we'll have the most luck with an injection, with a hollow needle and syringe.”

Roman wrinkled his nose. “Why?” he said, almost whining.

“Because of how deep the damage is, getting the medicine to the tissue directly may help it heal.” Emile showed him a few vials of dark liquid.

“Logan never did that,” muttered Roman.

“It isn't a very traditional way of dealing with tissue damage,” acknowledged Emile. “I've had success treating snakebites this way, however, and I think this isn't so different. If you're willing, I think this could really help with your pain.”

“I…” Roman shrugged. “Sure. Do what you like.” He clenched his teeth and didn’t make a sound during the injection, though it was definitely not painless.

“There. Done. You should be able to tell in the next few days whether it worked at all, and I’ll be monitoring it pretty closely.” Emile put the needle aside and said casually, “So, how long were you and my predecessor romantically involved?”

Roman choked on his tongue as he fumbled for an answer. He started to cough. “Excuse me?” he said hoarsely as soon as he stopped coughing.

“I'm sorry for assuming, but...I'm not wrong, am I?”

“I-I…” Roman wasn't sure what to say. The recent laws passed had completely decriminalized same-sex relationships, but it was heavily frowned upon for a member of the royal family to have a relationship with any commoner, even a palace worker.

Emile waved his hand quickly. “It's alright, I see that I've overstepped boundaries. You don't have to tell me anything, but I'd like to assure you that if you do, I take confidentiality extremely seriously.”

Roman nodded. He didn't want to say anything, certainly not until Emile had gained more of his trust. “I think I'll be going, then.”

“Of course. Would you be willing to come to the infirmary this evening to discuss any changes in pain levels you've experienced after your injection?” asked Emile.

“Yeah, I'll see you then.”

“Thank you, Roman. I hope you have a good day!” Emile said cheerfully as Roman started to leave.

Roman pulled his shirt back on and left the room. He went back to his own room, where Virgil was still curled up fast asleep in his bed, his hair messy and his skin glowing in the morning sunlight coming in from the window. He looked peaceful. Roman hadn't seen him sleep so well since before Patton had been taken. Instead of waking his friend, he crawled back into bed with him quietly and laid on his back, gazing up at the ceiling.

The warmth of the sun felt good on his face and arms. Virgil’s peacefulness was infectious, and Roman found himself completely relaxing. Whether it was the injection that Emile had given him or just a reflection of his calmer mindset, he was in significantly less pain than he had been last night.

He didn't really fall asleep, but he dozed off for a while. Eventually, Virgil started to stir. The anxious young man wriggled closer to Roman as he woke up. Roman ruffled his hair. “Morning,” he murmured.

“Mmm,” Virgil acknowledged. “Time’s i’?”

“Nine or so.”

“Sleep good?”

Roman sighed. “I slept alright, thanks to you. Though I woke up a couple hours ago and have already been out and about. The new healer got here.”

“Oh? Didja see ‘im?” Virgil was slurring his words a little, not really fully awake.

“Yeah. He gave me an injection to help with the pain. He seems...friendly.”

“Injection? Gross,” muttered Virgil. “And, uh...fuckin’, ouch.”

“It wasn't fun,” Roman agreed. “But it's over now.”

“Mm.” Virgil tossed his arm over Roman’s waist to press a little closer to his side.

“He was surprised I was alive,” Roman continued, patting Virgil’s shoulder absently. “When he saw my scar, he said I should have been dead.”

“Lo said that, too. God, Ro, I still don't think you understand how...hard Lo had to work to keep you alive,” Virgil said. He sounded a bit more awake now. “There were moments when he was sure your heart had stopped, when you weren't breathing. He had to do that chest compression thing to get your heart beating again.”

Roman shivered. He reached up and touched his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat under his hand. “It's still going,” he said.

“I'd damn well hope so. We didn't go through all that for nothin’, Ro.”

“Pretty much all I can remember is the pain,” Roman said softly. He felt Virgil shift, holding him tighter. “The pain, and begging you both to make it end. And you held my hands, and I could hear crying.”

“Logan held your hand almost the whole time, whenever he had a hand to spare. And when he needed both of his to tend to something, he told me to hold both of yours,” Virgil told him. “It was all we could do to keep you calm enough that you didn't stop your own heart with strain.”

“And the crying?”

“Mostly me. Your father visited occasionally. He was...well, he was unfortunate enough to see one of the episodes where you were awake enough to be screaming. It really freaked him out and he didn't return after that. But you woke up the next day, so he probably would have come back if your illness had lasted longer.”

“He never really cared enough to do anything for me that inconvenienced him at all,” Roman said. “I don't blame him, y’know? I'm sure I would have distracted him from all his great kingly duties. I'm just the sparest Prince, after all.”

“He cares more than my father ever did, ha,” Virgil said.

Roman sucked in his breath. “Sorry, I didn't mean…”

“Nah, don't worry about it. This isn't about me, I shouldn't have said anything.”

“Are you gonna try to talk to Patton again today?” Roman asked, changing the subject.

Virgil grumbled something incoherent before saying, “At this point, I think maybe he would be better off if I  _ didn't  _ insist on being with him constantly.”

“What? You really think he'd be better if you just left him alone?  _ Patton _ ? Who are you and what have you done with Virgil?” Roman demanded, only partially teasing. “It's Patton. There's something wrong with him, but that just means he needs you more than ever.”

“I...he'll come to me when he's ready,” Virgil said vaguely.

“ _ Maybe _ , but only if he knows you're still there for him. Which he won't if you stop trying."

“Patton should know that I'm always there for him if he wants me,” Virgil insisted.

“Yeah, he should. And the old Patton would…” Roman forced his voice to stay steady. “He would never have blamed me for what happened to him, no matter how much I was blaming myself. Whatever he went through  _ changed him _ , Virge. I can't even...can't even  _ imagine _ what it must have been to damage his beautiful heart like that.”

There was a loud knock at the door. “Prince Roman!” someone called.

Roman sighed. “Who's dead or back from the dead this time?” he muttered to Virgil as he got out of bed.

“That's not funny.”

“I know it's not funny.” Roman opened the door. “Yes?”

A young woman squire was standing there, her hair cut very short. “Prince Roman, I was sent to inform you that the army is moving out.”

“Hold on, you were sent to  _ inform _ me?” Roman said indignantly. “I am the head of the army, we don't move out unless I say we are.”

“In this emergency, your second in command made the decision,” she explained quickly.

“Emergency?” Virgil said, stepping up behind Roman. “What emergency?”

“Word has come to us that the Dragon Witch is attacking small towns along the east side of the river,” the squire said. “There are five towns that are said to be in her path of attack, and we're splitting the army to protect and defend the civilians as best we can.”

“East of the river,” Virgil said, panic entering his voice. “The names of the towns?”

“Um, Rutherglen, Longdale, Crofterville, Aramoor, and Swanford,” the squire listed swiftly.

Roman felt Virgil grip his arm so tightly that it hurt. Worried without knowing why he was worried, Roman turned to Virgil and saw that the blood had drained from his face. “Virge? What's wrong?”

“That's--Crofterville, Logan…”

That was all he needed to say. “Get a horse ready for me, please,” Roman told the squire. “Or ask someone else to do it if you're busy.”

“I-I don't have anyone I am assigned to, so I could--but, sir, I thought you were not permitted to ride with us until you were fully recovered?” the squire asked tentatively.

“Roman, no!” Virgil snapped.

“What's your name?” Roman asked her.

“Penny.”

“Please get me a horse ready, Penny. I'm going to ride with the army today.”

Penny nodded and jogged off down the hallway.

“Ro--"

“I'm not hearing a word of it,” Roman said. He shoved Virgil out of the way and threw open the drawers in his wardrobe, searching for the clothes he wore under his armor. Everything was slightly too big on him now after losing so much weight while he was ill, but he put it on anyway.

“And what are you gonna do about it, huh?” Virgil said. “What, you're gonna fight off the Dragon Witch yourself?”

“Yes.”

“You're a fucking idiot.”

Roman glanced over his shoulder. “Maybe so.”

“You can't protect him!”

“I'll die trying, then.”

“And what fucking good will that do him?” shouted Virgil.

Roman had no answer. He started heading towards the door, grabbing his sword from where it hung on the wall. It was a bit dusty but still sharp. He had insisted it be sharpened even before he could lift it again.

“Then I'm coming with you,” Virgil decided.

“No.”

“Why not? I'm good with a blade. Better than you are in your current state.” Virgil kept pace with him easily.

Roman's sword was heavy. “You aren't a member of the army.”

“I'm Logan's friend. I have as much right to want to protect him as you do.”

_ He could already be dead. _ Roman refused to think about that.

“Roman, you have to see that it's a terrible idea!”

“Stay here and take care of Patton.”

Virgil grabbed his arm but he threw his hand off. “Roman!”

“Go away!”

“You're not thinking clearly!”

They were almost to the palace exit leading to the stables. Roman could hear the neighing of horses and the clanking of armor. “Virgil, as the Prince, I order you to  _ stay here _ .”

Virgil didn't hesitate. “Arrest me for treason, then.”

“Fuck you!”

“I just don't want you to get yourself killed.”

“And I don't want Logan to get killed!” yelled Roman.

“And you think I do?!”

“You can't stop me from going,” Roman told him.

“I know, that's why I'm going with you,” Virgil retorted.

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

“It's hours away on horseback,” Roman said suddenly. His knees gave out underneath him and he clutched at the wall. “Whatever messenger brought the news...it was hours ago that it started, and it'll be hours before we get there, and the Dragon Witch doesn't...doesn't leave...survivors…”

Virgil took his hand tightly. “Roman. Come on.”

“Oh, god,” Roman said, panting. “Oh,  _ god _ , no, Logan…”

“Roman! That won't help him. Come on!” He hauled Roman to his feet.

“I can't, I can't lose him.”

“Get a fucking move on, then,” Virgil said harshly. “Let's go save him.”

“I love him,” stated Roman. “I can't lose him.”

“Yeah, I know. I know, I understand, I  _ know _ . Now come on.”

The armor that Roman donned felt heavier than he had remembered. As the army rode out, their ranks numbering near a hundred, Roman leaned forward on his horse and buried his fingers in her mane. His tears were blown away by the wind as he rode at the front of the army, riding towards the people who needed him. Towards Logan.

* * *

Every few steps, Patton collapsed to the ground. He hadn't realized exactly how weak he had become during his captivity, and now his body didn't know how to handle travel.

Dark red rust stained his hands from where he had clawed and dug at the flaky metal bars at the top of the cage. Pieces had broken away in his hands as he worked at it tirelessly, and he had cleared a space just wide enough for his emaciated form to squeeze through.

He waited until the Dragon Witch had burst into the cave and the shimmer of air signaled Nathair’s arrival. Nathair informed her that the trap was working--Roman and the army were on their way towards Crofterville and the nearby towns, where they would be ambushed by the Dragon Witch and her horde of kidnapped soldiers under her magic mind control. Their plan was to kill and capture as many members of the palace army as possible, as well as finish off Prince Roman.

There was no way that Patton was letting that happen, not without doing whatever he possibly could to stop it. As soon as the Dragon Witch had started to leave the cave, the stone door rolling out of the way, Patton used all his strength to climb up the side of the cage’s bars. He pulled himself up through the hole he had made and rolled out to fall down at the side of the metal cage.

He was free.

Well, almost free. First, he had to run as quickly and quietly as he could across the expanse of the cave, hide behind the door until it was nearly rolled shut, peek around the corner to make sure that the Dragon Witch wasn't looking, and step outside.

The Dragon Witch had already taken flight. Her dark green, black, and blue form was fading into the distance as Patton stared off the side of the cliff face. The pathway down was narrow and steep, but he knew he could do it. He had to.

_ Thank goodness I have a decent sense of direction _ , he thought to himself. He could see the big mountain ranges in the distance, and the river in the valley beyond the forest at the base of the cliff. Crofterville sat in the crook of that river, just out of sight.

_ But what if I'm too late?  _ Patton had to consider.  _ If I arrive and the attack has already started? _

Then he would die protecting as many people as he could.


	7. Chapter 7

It was the quiet as they rode up to the first town that made Roman nervous. Would they arrive to find everyone dead, houses burnt to the ground? If Rutherglen was already destroyed, what did that mean for the rest of the towns?

And then a young man on a horse came riding up to them. He was dressed in dirty clothes, like he had been toiling in the farms. “Hail!” he called.

Corbin, the man leading the army while Roman was technically still on leave, brought his horse over to talk to him. “Is everything alright in your town?”

“Yes, of course it is. Excuse me, sir, but why is the entire palace army riding towards Rutherglen?” the man asked bemusedly.

“A reliable source told us that there was an attack by the Dragon Witch in this area,” Corbin told him.

“A reliable source?” the young man echoed. “Well, there is no attack here, sir.”

An uneasy feeling was growing in the pit of Roman's stomach.

“Thank you for the information,” Corbin said.

“Of course. Have a good day, sir.” The man turned and rode back to the town.

Facing back towards the army, Corbin called, “Alright, we’re going to split in two. I'll lead this half of the army towards Aramoor and Crofterville. Sloane, take the other half towards Longdale and Swanford.”

Roman quickly changed direction to go with Corbin’s side of the army. He saw Virgil and Penny following behind him out of the corner of his eye.

“Ro, what do you think is--" Virgil began, but he stopped when Roman shook his head. “Sorry.”

“I don't know what's happening,” Roman said tightly. “All I know is that I need to know if Logan is safe."

More eerie quiet greeted them as they rode closer to Crofterville. There was something in the air, something that made the hair on the back of Roman's neck stand on end. The town seemed intact as they rode down the hill towards it. A few farmers came up to confront Corbin, who did his best to explain the situation.

Meanwhile, Roman dismounted his horse and handed the reins to Penny. Virgil quickly followed after him as he ran deeper into the town. A crowd was gathering to see what all the commotion was about. Roman scanned the faces for one familiar one.

“Roman?!”

Whirling around, Roman made eye contact with the one who had called his name. He rushed forward immediately. “You're safe,” he choked out.

Logan looked bewildered as Roman pulled him into a tight embrace. “Roman, what is going on? Why is what seems to be half the palace army riding up to my town?”

Running his hands along Logan's body to be sure that he was alright, Roman replied, “There was...the Dragon Witch...someone told us she was attacking near here, we came to protect you.”

“There hasn't been any attack, Roman.” Logan stepped back, away from his hold. “Why are  _ you  _ here?”

“I...I had to be sure that you're safe,” Roman replied. He was reeling slightly from the intoxicating feeling of having Logan back in his arms, and he tried to pull the healer closer again.

“Roman, if there  _ was _ an attack, you shouldn't have come,” Logan snapped. “You are not strong enough for battle yet.”

“I didn't…” Roman didn't understand why Logan looked so angry. “Logan?”

“It was a foolish thing to do,” said Logan. “And on whose word did you come riding out all this way?”

“It wasn't even my decision!” Roman tried to defend himself.

“Someone made you come with the army, then?”

“No--that’s not what I meant! Logan, I'm sorry, I…” Roman froze. The hair on the back of his neck was prickling again. “Why here?”

“What?”

“There are hundreds of towns. Why...why here?” repeated Roman.

Logan made a frustrated gesture. “Why here,  _ what _ ?” he demanded.

“How would they know? They had to know, there's no chance this is a coincidence,” Roman rambled. “They wanted us here, they knew I'd come.”

“Who?” Logan asked, suddenly more worried than angry.

“Logan, it's a trap,” Roman said. His voice fell into a dangerously calm tone. “It's a trap.”

Logan stared at him.

Roman turned to Corbin. “It's a trap!” he shouted. “A setup, a trap, we need to get out of here!”

In hindsight, shouting such a thing was probably not the best idea. It was fairly equivalent to shouting ‘fire’ in a crowded ballroom. The chaos that followed made it difficult to tell where the other soldiers came from until it was too late.

Of course, it also didn't help that they were dressed in the same uniforms, though perhaps a bit more ragged and worn. Roman actually recognized some of them, even in the midst of battle, as ones who had gone missing and presumed dead, taken by the Dragon Witch. They moved with a sort of jerkiness, as if they were being pulled by strings. It was easy to cut them down, but…

_ But they aren't themselves, _ Roman realized.  _ We can't kill them! They were...they were like Patton, taken and changed! _

“Corbin!” screamed Roman. “Corbin, don't kill them!”

“I'm well aware! Roman, get out of here! Find somewhere safe, get the townspeople to safety!” Corbin answered, knocking one of the puppet-soldiers on the head and making her collapse.

“Logan--Logan!” panted Roman, pulling him out of the way of a sword. More puppet-soldiers were approaching behind them. “Is there somewhere to hide in the town? Somewhere safe?”

“The root cellar could be defended,” Logan said.

Roman surveyed the panic, townspeople running and trying to shield their children. “Lead them there.”

“What about you?” Logan demanded.

“I'll be fine.” In truth, Roman's arms were already sore from swinging his sword. But he also knew that this couldn't be the whole plan. The Dragon Witch was smarter than to expect to defeat the palace army with…with these puppets. “Make sure nobody is killed. It's not their fault, it's like...it's like Patton!”

“You stay alive,” Logan ordered.

Roman winked. “Always have before.”

Logan grabbed his collar and pulled him so their lips were almost touching. Roman closed his eyes instinctively, almost expecting a kiss. “You'd better.” And then he was running off, shouting and taking charge and directing people to follow him to safety.

And oh, Roman loved him.

And oh, Logan would have been so angry if he knew what Roman was going to do next.

_ She chose Crofterville as a trap for me. Somehow, she knew that I would come to protect Logan. I don’t know how, but I do know that she wants to kill me. Obviously, she wouldn’t trust these puppet-soldiers to kill me, which means she is here. And I have to find her. _

Roman made his way to the edge of the town, ignoring the sounds of battle behind him. He had to strike a few puppet-soldiers down, trying not to hurt them too badly. He was still holding out hope of fixing them, of changing them back to the people they had been before. Perhaps whatever had been done to them had been started on Patton, and that’s why he was acting so strangely. And if the puppet-soldiers could be helped, perhaps Patton could be, too.

He smelled her before he saw her, the almost sulfurous odor drifting down to signal her arrival. Roman turned to face her.

“So, you survived my venom?” she said. Her icy green, reptilian eyes stared right at him.

Roman’s pounding heartbeat throbbed against the old injury on his chest. “Was I not supposed to?” he said snarkily.

The Dragon Witch narrowed her eyes. “I hope you know that you aren’t clever.”

“And you are, then? If you’re so clever, you should tell me all about your grand plan--so that I can stand in awe of your brilliance, of course,” Roman mocked. He watched her carefully, prepared to spring out of the way if she attempted to slash him with her claws.

“Nice try,” she chuckled. “I would be impressed by your foolhardy bravery and your surprising fortitude, if you weren’t so incredibly stupid.”

“Incredibly? Why, thank you. I’m thrilled to stand out amongst all the other opponents you’ve faced,” Roman said. “And I do believe I am the only person who has faced your toxin and lived. That has to count for something as well.”

She tilted her head, the corner of the mouth on her lizard-like head curling up in a sneer. “It does count for something, of course. It means you are much weaker than you were the last time I saw you.”

Roman didn’t let even a hint of anything less than a confident expression cross his face. “What makes you say that, you overgrown gecko?”

Her eyes examined him up and down. He did his best not to flinch away. “Your weight has diminished by at least a quarter. Your skin is paler. And your arm is shaking from holding your sword out at me.”

“I’ve been on a new diet,” Roman quipped. “It must be working. And as for the sword, I’m simply shaking at the anticipation of finally defeating you. The prospect really is invigorating. Shall we make it a reality?”

“You couldn’t even if you tried,” she replied. “I could kill you in an instant, Prince Roman. The only reason you aren’t dead yet is because I haven’t haven’t chosen to finish it.”

“Actually,” Roman said icily. “The only reason I am not dead yet is because of the man whose town you attacked to draw me out. And he is the reason I am going to stay alive.”

“Those are bold words,” the Dragon Witch acknowledged. She extended her neck towards Roman slightly. “Bold and stupid.”

“Are we exchanging insults like children now?” Roman asked. “Because I think I would beat you in that game, you puffed up iguana.”

“What a waste of time,” muttered the Dragon Witch.

“You're right, of course. You know what wouldn't be a waste of time? Telling me how you got those soldiers to be your puppets. Some of them have been missing from our ranks for almost a year now.”

“You wouldn't understand even if I told you,” the Dragon Witch dismissed.

“No harm in trying.”

She scoffed, tossing her head. “The ability to understand magic is a rarity among most people.”

“It's magic, then,” Roman said. “You know, I had already guessed that. Are they even conscious anymore, or have their beings been stripped away until they're just shells?” He spat the words at her.

“And why should I tell you?” she taunted. She sounded amused, taking pleasure in withholding information from Roman.

“Because you're going to kill me,” Roman stated. “Why  _ not _ tell me?”

“You've faced me too many times already to still be alive. For that, Prince Roman, I will give you the information you crave before you die. They are all still in possession of their consciousnesses, they simply...elected to give me control for a while, when it became preferable to the alternative. I could release them if I chose to end the spell. But I won't. The only way they will be released is with my death, and I, Prince Roman, am not planning on dying. You will be the only one dying today.”

At the end of her words, she sprang forward, her claws outstretched. Roman swung his sword with all the strength he had. He felt the weapon collide with something and then felt it give way, heard the horrifying shriek and the  _ thud _ of the Dragon Witch’s leg as it fell to the ground, unattached from her body.

Something dull hit Roman in the chest and sent him flying backwards. His eyes fluttered shut briefly from the impact. The force of the Dragon Witch’s tail hitting him knocked all of the air out of his body. He barely had time to see her dark, shimmery wings beat and take her into the air. Thick blue blood dripped down from the stump of her leg onto the ground and onto Roman as she flew away. Before she faded into the distance, she disappeared in a flash of green light.

Roman let the hand that held his sword go limp. He was fatigued, barely breathing because of the pain in his chest and ribs. He had really been too weak to ride all that way, and the confrontation with the Dragon Witch had just taken everything out of him that was left.

He let his eyes close.  _ I'll have enough energy to stand up in a minute _ , he told himself. But a minute later, he had faded into a state of half-consciousness, and there was just no way he was going to be able to stand up by himself anytime soon. The sound of battle in the town had faded, which struck Roman as slightly odd.  _ I'll rest for a few more minutes, and then get up. _

He didn't get up in a few minutes. The severed leg of the Dragon Witch was laying beside him, his battle prize that he was far too exhausted to appreciate. He was asleep, or unconscious. It didn't really matter either way.

* * *

Patton had to stop and rest for way too long after every minute he walked. There was a small town at the bottom of the forested hill that he was walking down, where he was trying to get to so he could ask someone for information. He knew he must look absolutely dreadful and would probably scare away anyone he tried to talk to, but he had to try. It might be too late to warn Roman, but maybe it wasn't too late to warn this town.

His improperly healed ankle gave way on a misleadingly slippery rock and he fell backwards. His bottom hit the ground with a jolt that sent waves of pain up his spine. Tears welled up in his eyes.

The sound of kids playing in the trees nearby made him try to stand up again. There were  _ kids _ in this town--well, of course there were--and it could very well be attacked by the Dragon Witch and her mind-controlled army. Patton desperately needed to warn them.

When he tried to put weight on his ankle again, it resulted in sharp stabbing pain. He whimpered and hid his face in his hands. Maybe if he rested for a few minutes, he could get up again. More tears were flooding from his eyes despite his best efforts to stop it. He wanted...he wanted his friends. His family. But he didn't even know if they were still alive!

“Uhh...hello?”

Patton gasped and looked up. A kid was standing next to him. Patton couldn't tell exactly how old he was, but probably somewhere in his teens. “Hi,” Patton whispered. It was the first time he had spoken to someone other than the Dragon Witch or Nathair-- _ Deceit _ since his capture.

The kid looked less freaked out by the appearance of an emaciated, injured man sitting on the ground than Patton would have expected. His arms were crossed apprehensively, but he looked more curious than afraid. “You okay?”

Patton didn't really know how to answer that. “What's your name, kiddo?” he asked, wanting to make himself as unthreatening as possible.

“Kai. You?”

“Patton.”

“You're crying, are you sad? Not that I  _ care _ ,” Kai blustered. “Whatever. But...are you?”

“I'm not  _ sad _ , just worried,” Patton replied. “Hey, kiddo--"

“I'm not a  _ kiddo _ !”

“Sorry,” Patton murmured. “Kai, have you heard anything about the Dragon Witch attacking towns in this area?”

“Why?” Kai said suspiciously. “What do you want with the information?”

“My friends are in one of the towns,” Patton answered.

“Oh.” Kai sat down on the ground. Patton realized suddenly that the kid was holding onto a large stick for support, sanded mostly smooth. “Well, I guess I can tell you. The whole army came riding up to the town earlier, saying there might be an attack. There wasn't one here. But there was a messenger a couple hours ago saying that she did attack Crofterville, and that she had been driven off and most of her army captured. They said there weren't many casualties, and that it was safe for us to go about our day now, that we weren't gonna be attacked.”

Patton bit his lip.  _ Not many casualties, and the battle is over. But she would only have retreated if she had killed Roman. _ He let out a tiny sob.

“Ah, shit,” Kai exclaimed. “Why are you crying?”

“Crofterville is where my friends are,” Patton said through his tears. “And I don't know if they're hurt, or...or worse.”

“Why aren't you headed there, then?” Kai asked.

“M-my ankle is hurt,” Patton explained. “And I'm...oh, ki--Kai, I'm not in very good shape right now.”

“I can tell. You look like you're half dead,” Kai said bluntly. “What the hell even  _ happened  _ to you?”

Patton didn't want to expose this child to any of what he had gone through. He just shook his head.

“I can handle it,” Kai said. “I'm not a baby.”

“I was…” Patton began reluctantly, unsure of how to explain it. “I was held against my will by people who wanted to hurt me.”

“Are you a criminal? Were you in prison?”

Patton shook his head again. “They wanted something I had access to. I didn't do anything wrong.”

“Did you escape?”

“Yes.”

“Did you give them what they wanted?”

Patton swallowed. “No,” he whispered. “But it didn't matter in the end.”

“Are you hungry?”

The sudden subject change took Patton by surprise and he looked up. “Why?”

Kai shrugged. “You look really skinny. And I don't think you have enough energy to walk much further tonight, plus there's only about a hour until sunset and a scrawny dude like you is a pretty easy target for a wildcat. You could come to the town with me tonight. If you want, I mean. It's whatever.”

Patton sniffled. “I don't know...what will your parents think?”

“They're not even here right now. They're both traveling merchants, but I'm not allowed to go with them. I'm staying with my girlfriend and her mom. They won't mind.” Kai stood up, holding onto his walking stick still. “C’mon, let's go.”

“I don't know that I can stand up,” Patton confessed. “I broke my ankle a while ago and it never got set, it didn't heal right, and I've been walking on it all day.”

Kai held out his walking stick. “You can use this. I don't need it all the time. Just to stop me from falling. My joints do weird things sometimes.” He bent his fingers back unusually far to demonstrate.

“Thank you,” Patton said sincerely. He used the stick to pull himself up, hardly putting any weight on his ankle this time. “Let me know if you need it back, okay?”

“Sure. C’mon, this way. It's not too far. I was just out here hanging around with my friends but they're having a tree-climbing contest and I think they forgot I can't do that. But it's whatever. I don't care.” Kai led Patton down the rest of the hill, stopping whenever he needed a break, until they reached the town. Then he took Patton into a small house near the edge of town, introducing him to his girlfriend Lauren and her mother Grace. 

A couple hours later, having had the first real meal and friendly human contact in months, Patton broke down into tears again. Lauren’s mother kindly led him into a small side room in the house, saying that it was Lauren’s room but that she could stay with Kai that night. “You look like you could use a good night's sleep before the rest of your journey tomorrow,” she said gently.

Patton wiped his eyes and professed his gratitude as many times as he could before the kind woman told him he didn't have to thank her anymore.

“And your clothes look like they've seen better days, dear. Here, it's not much, but my brother left these clothes here last time he stayed with me.” Grace handed him a light blue shirt, brown pants, and a grey sweater. “I can't pretend to know what you've been through. But I truly hope that you find healing and happiness in your future. And you are safe here.”

Blinking more tears from his eyes, Patton could only smile at her. He didn't have any words to say.

He put the clothing on after she left the room, and curled up on the bed. The feeling of being  _ safe _ was one he hadn't felt in so long. He hugged the grey sweater to his chest and hid his face in the soft fabric as he shook with a few more sobs.

The door was pushed open a little while later and Kai slipped into the room. “Hey, Patton,” he greeted. “Um, I figured you might want some water for the night. I didn't...I'm not here to, like, tell you to...stop crying or anything. Actually, I can just  _ not _ have noticed you're crying. That's cool.” He put a wooden cup onto the small nightstand.

“It's okay,” Patton said in a small voice. “I'm not trying to hide that I'm crying. I'm not ashamed of it.”

“Yeah, okay. Um, ‘night.” Kai reached out awkwardly and patted him on the shoulder before hurrying out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Patton shivered at the touch. He pulled the blankets up to his shoulders and closed his eyes. He kept crying, the unrelenting tears sliding down his cheeks and into the fabric of the sweater. It didn't take long to cry himself to sleep. And in what felt like a miracle, he didn't have a single bad dream all through the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Roman could taste copper on his tongue and in his throat, the tang of blood from where he must have bitten his cheek when he fell. He was just barely aware that he was being carried until he was placed down onto a soft surface. Then he managed to open his eyes.

“Oh, hey, girl. Look who's awake.”

For a second, Roman was shocked by the strange voice coming from Logan's mouth. Then he realized that the person wasn't Logan, but another man who looked fairly similar, but was taller and broader and had lighter hair. “Yeah, I'm awake,” Roman said hoarsely.

“Good, ‘cause my baby brother would be so pissed if I brought ya home dead. I'm Remy, Logan's brother.” He held his hand out.

Roman shook his hand and then tried to sit up.

Remy pushed him back down. “Uh-uh, you're gonna lay down and rest until Lo-lo can look you over and make sure you're not gonna break, okay?”

“Where is he?” Roman pleaded. “What happened? Is everyone alright?”

“Logan's fine. Your pal Virgil is fine. Everyone from the town is fine, just a couple of scrapes and bruises. Two men from your army were killed, and four or five of the creepy empty soldiers. The rest of them are all tied up in the root cellar.” Remy rubbed his eyes. He looked a bit tired. “And girl, we've been looking for you for hours. Logan has been busy helping out with injuries and whatnot, but let me tell you, it's been hard to convince him not to join in the search. You really chopped off the leg of the Witchy Witch, then?”

“Guess I did,” Roman acknowledged.

“That's pretty impressive, Prince.” Remy winked. “Now I'm gonna go tell my brother that his sweetheart is alive so he can stop freaking the heck out. He'll probably come running right back here.”

“Thank you, Remy,” Roman said.

“Sure, girl, no problem.” Remy waved cheerily at him as he left the room. Some cool evening air drifted in before he closed the door.

Roman let his head fall back against the pillow. He felt shaky and tired, his head throbbing and his torso aching. He closed his eyes.

What felt like seconds later, the door opened and Logan came rushing in. “Roman, are you alright?” he demanded.

“You tell me,” mumbled Roman. He gazed up at Logan adoringly. “Your brother told me to stay here until you could check me for injuries.”

“Of course.” Logan blinked slowly, taking a breath. He changed his posture and expression slightly. He seemed more professional now, more like a healer and less like a frantic lover. “Lay still. Does anything hurt?”

“Does anything  _ not _ hurt?” Roman returned.

“Roman, please, be serious.” Logan touched Roman's forehead gently. “You aren't feverish. Your clothes, they have...they have the Dragon Witch's blood on them.”

“Yep. Getting your leg cut off tends to make you bleed,” quipped Roman.

“You--" Logan shook his head. “I am not even going to pretend to be surprised. Alright. I'm going to remove your clothing. It may have to be thrown away, her blood is corrosive.”

Roman decided not to make any crude jokes about Logan undressing him. He just lay still instead, occasionally shifting position when Logan needed him to so his clothes could be pulled off.

“You aren't wearing nearly as much armor as you usually would be,” Logan reproached as he folded up Roman's soiled tunic.

“Hardly any of it fits me anymore,” Roman admitted. He felt Logan remove his boots and then his pants and shivered as the cool air touched his skin.

“You aren't bleeding anywhere,” Logan observed. “But there are fresh bruises on your chest and ribs.” He touched Roman's side, tracing the outline of the bruises. “It looks painful. Are you having difficulty breathing?”

“A little.”

“You may have bruised some of your ribs, possibly even fractured them. There's not much I can do for that other than provide something to help with the pain and swelling.”

“It doesn't hurt too badly,” Roman said.

Logan sat down on the edge of the bed, taking Roman's hand. “I am not sure if I should believe you, Roman, but if you don't want any medicine, I won't force you to take it.”

“I need nothing but you and you alone for my pain to be eased,” Roman said grandly.

“ _ Such _ a romantic,” Logan sighed. “Now will you let me give you something for the swelling?”

Roman nodded. He let go of Logan's hand with some reluctance and watched the healer open up some cupboards and mix a few herbs and liquids into a dish, which he then emptied into a cup and filled it with water from a basin.

“It shouldn't taste too terrible,” Logan said, handing it to him and helping him sit up.

It certainly didn't taste  _ good _ , but Roman managed to drink the whole thing. Logan took the cup and put it aside. He came back to the bed and helped Roman sit against the wall.

“How is everyone?” Roman asked softly. “Your brother told me a few people died.”

“There was nothing I could do,” Logan said.

“I know that, my love.”

Logan sighed quietly. “Virgil injured his wrist. Not badly, but he shouldn't pick up anything too heavy with that hand for a week or so. There are a few sword wounds. Nobody more is in danger of dying, however.”

“That's good.”

“The soldiers that the Dragon Witch sent have all been captured alive except for five who were killed during the battle, and are being held in the root cellar in the hope that they can be saved,” Logan continued.

Roman remembered what the Dragon Witch had told him. “They're under some sort of mind control magic. Or at least that's what she told me. It can't be broken until she chooses to break it or she dies, and…” He shook his head angrily. “And I didn't manage to kill her this time.”

“No, you only went after her, recklessly, without thinking,” Logan said sharply.

“I  _ was _ thinking, Logan. I was thinking that she isn't going to stop this until I kill her.”

“It is not your responsibility--"

“But it  _ is _ , Logan.” Roman scoffed and rubbed his hand across his face. “Or maybe I am just a reckless idiot with delusions of grandeur. Or maybe it doesn't matter, because  _ someone _ has to kill her, and she wants to kill me  _ anyway _ , so I have nothing to lose.”

“You have your life to lose.”

“So what? It's my life.”

Logan glared at him, but the glare was only there to attempt to mask the look of pain and fear in his eyes. “ _ I  _ have you to lose, Roman. And I do not want to lose-- _ damn _ it.” His voice broke. “I do not want to lose you.”

Roman stretched his hand out, touching his palm to the side of Logan's face. Seeing the anger fade from Logan's eyes until only weariness remained, he leaned forward and touched their foreheads together. “I will remember that,” Roman promised him seriously. “I will do my best to make sure you don't lose me.”

“Thank you.”

“Logan, may I kiss you?”

Logan flinched briefly, as if in surprise, and then relaxed and nodded. “Yes, you may,” he agreed.

Roman tilted Logan's chin up with two fingers and brushed their lips together with chaste softness. Slowly and sweetly, the kiss deepened until both of them had to gasp for air with their noses still touching. And then their lips found each other again. Roman's hands were still on Logan's face, and Logan's hands rested strongly on the prince’s back.

Soon, Logan was sitting in between Roman's thighs with his legs around Roman's waist. He was returning the kisses more fully now, more enthusiastically, becoming more comfortable with the contact every moment. He pressed into Roman's hands as they slid underneath his shirt, leaving Roman shivering slightly at the touch.

Roman's rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing were making his ribs ache. He carried on for as long as he could, desperately wanting the feeling of being so close to Logan to continue forever. But the pain got to him eventually and he had to slow the kissing down, taking Logan's hands. “I'm sorry, I need to stop for now,” he whispered.

“Do you need to sleep?” Logan asked. His voice was a little bit rough, deeper than it usually sounded. It was so attractive that Roman briefly considered changing his mind and pulling him back into another kiss.

But he nodded instead. “That would probably be a good idea.”

Logan got off the bed, adjusting his shirt where it had ridden up on his belly. Roman couldn't help but gaze at his slightly disheveled look, his glasses askew and his lips swollen and pink, with the utmost affection. “I agree, you need rest after everything you've done today. Your body simply isn't equipped to handle such strain anymore, and you certainly pushed yourself beyond your limits,” Logan said. He began to pull the blankets on the bed up over Roman.

“Aren't you going to stay with me?” Roman asked.

“I…” Logan gave him a helpless look. “I should go back to see if anyone's injuries need to be looked at again.”

“You've already tended to everyone, though?” Roman checked.

“Of course, there was ample time.”

“Then I'm sure they all would rather rest tonight, too.” Roman nestled down on the bed, holding his arms out. “Please? You're tired as well. And I think I need you next to me tonight.”

Logan gave in. He undressed, stepping into the other room and coming back wearing a nightshirt and soft, short black pants. He was carrying another set of similar clothing and offered it to Roman.

Roman pulled the pants on but refused the shirt. “Now come to bed, I'm tired,” he coaxed.

“It gets cold at night here,” Logan warned.

“Just another reason to come here and cuddle me,” Roman replied.

Finally, Logan slid into bed next to him. He settled into Roman's arms and held him around his waist, laying his head on Roman's shoulder.

Roman relaxed. Holding Logan felt just as right as the first time he had done it, their bodies fitting together perfectly. He could feel Logan breathe. The utter fatigue that he had felt earlier that day returned, though not in quite the same severity. He couldn't keep his eyes open. “Logan, I love you,” he whispered.

“And I love you, my prince,” Logan murmured in response.

“I want to do this every night,” Roman said, his words slurring slightly with exhaustion. “Logan, I don't want to be away from you anymore.”

Logan made a soft shushing sound and stroked his hair. “Go to sleep.”

“I'm serious,” Roman insisted. “I'll stay here if my father won't let you return to the palace, I'll give up my position as prince, I'll disown my entire family.”

“You're tired, Roman. Hush, now, stop talking like that. Go to sleep.” Logan kissed his forehead. “We're together now, my love, and that is what you should focus on.”

“We're together now,” Roman repeated. “We're together...now…” He felt Logan continue to stroke his hair until even that faded away into a dark sleep.

Unpleasant dreams filled his mind as he slept, and he kept almost waking up. He stirred and whimpered until he was pulled closer and whispered to, the calm voice of the man next to him soothing him back to sleep briefly. It repeated like that throughout most of the night before his dreams finally calmed enough to let him rest.

Roman had a moment of panic when he woke up in the morning, because Logan was no longer beside him. He sat up, breathing hard and looking around frantically. “Lo?” he cried out.

Almost immediately, Logan came rushing in from the other room in the small house. “Are you alright?”

Reaching out with both hands, Roman said, “I thought you were gone.”

Logan dropped down to sit on the bed, letting Roman take him in his arms. “I'm here, it's alright. It's quite alright, Roman, there's no need to be afraid.”

“I overreacted, I'm sorry.”

“It's alright,” Logan promised. He pulled away slightly, not making Roman let go of him. He examined the bruising on Roman's chest with hands that were as gentle as they could be and paused whenever Roman flinched. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” Roman admitted. He looked at his chest and winced at the purple and yellow splotches. “And for good reason, it seems.”

“Indeed,” Logan said. “I would recommend a full day of rest before you ride home.”

Roman sat up straighter. “I am not going home without you.”

“That is an irrational decision, my dear, although I understand the sentiment. Most of your army has already begun the journey home. A few have stayed to guard the prisoners, since it's unclear how to move them. Others have stayed because they are too injured to return yet, and Virgil and Patton are, of course, remaining until you leave.”

“I-- _ what _ ?”

“Corbin decided there was no reason to stay here, he said there was unlikely to be another attack and so--"

“No!” Roman exclaimed. “Patton?! Why the fuck is Patton here?”

“He--" Logan looked confused. “Did you not know he had ridden with the army?”

“No, I didn't fucking know!”

“Roman, please calm down. Why are you reacting so strongly to the news?”

Roman was trying to string his thoughts together into coherent words. “Logan, he’s...he’s not  _ Patton _ anymore, he's like the puppet-soldiers, under some sort of mind-control!”

“That seems an unfounded conclusion, Roman. His behavior doesn't match that of--”

“Of course it doesn't, he's been...it's different because it's a different  _ goal _ , don't you understand?” Roman buried his hands in his hair. “He isn't being controlled to be a mindless puppet with a sword, he's being controlled to be a  _ spy _ .”

Logan looked alarmed. “Roman, what are you suggesting?”

“I figured it out yesterday, while I was talking to the Dragon Witch, but then I was so fucking exhausted and barely conscious the whole time, I couldn't process it, but now...Logan, it all makes sense! Why he kept asking about the army movements, why he doesn't respond to Virgil like he used to. He's being used as a spy, somehow. That explains how  _ he  _ escaped when none of the other could. He didn't escape, he was  _ let go _ , because the Dragon Witch somehow knew he had access to me and to the inner workings of the palace.”

“That...makes sense,” Logan said.

“That's how she knew I would come out here, why the trap would work. Patton knows I would do anything to protect you, so the Dragon Witch knows, too. Everything he knows, she knows.” Roman let out a panicked, high-pitched groan and pressed his palms against his temples. “Logan, we have to tell Virgil. We have to...to confront Patton. Tell him we know. Because then she'll know that we know, and she won't have her advantage, her little snake in the grass anymore.”

“What if Patton denies it?” Logan asked.

“Of course he'll deny it,” Roman said. “But that doesn't change anything. It's the only explanation.”

“I don't know that it's the  _ only  _ explanation,” Logan cautioned.

“Can you think of another one?” Roman retorted. When Logan had no answer, he nodded. “That's what I thought. Help me get up and get dressed, Logan.”

“I've already told you, you need to stay in bed and rest.”

“Logan, look into my eyes and tell me if I give a damn about resting when my friends and my kingdom are in danger.”

Logan met his gaze steadily. “You had better not put  _ yourself _ in danger while you're being a hero, Roman. But alright. We can find Virgil and Patton and take them a little ways into the woods to talk to them, so nobody overhears our conversations.”

“Good idea.” Roman clenched his teeth as Logan helped him to his feet. He got dressed and put his sword in his belt, ignoring Logan's disapproving look. “Alright, let's go.”

“Are you sure you're doing the right thing?” asked Logan.

Roman didn't have any answer to that.

* * *

Patton woke up feeling like he was suffocating. He sat up, grasping at his chest and squeezing his eyes shut against what seemed like harsh light flooding his senses. Panicking, he gasped for air.  _ Where am I? _ was the only thought he could put together coherently.

And then slowly, he became aware of the soft blankets around him. He was warm. He could smell something that made his mouth water and his stomach ache for food. Someone was talking quietly from another room.

_ New torture? _ Patton wondered. He gingerly uncovered his eyes and let them adjust to the light. As he saw the soft morning light glow in through the curtains, everything that had happened yesterday came rushing back to him.  _ Oh. Safe. I’m safe. _

He could understand the voices in the other room now.

“The bread will be ready in a few minutes, should we wake him up? Surely he’d want to eat some while it’s still warm.” That was Lauren.

Her mother answered. “No, dear, let him sleep for as long as he can. The poor young man needs as much rest as he can get, especially if he really is going to walk all the way to Crofterville today.”

“What do you think really happened to him?” Kai said.

“I think we don’t need to speculate. Patton will tell us if he wants to.”

“I’m just curious,” muttered Kai. “What if, like, whoever was hurting him comes after him? What if they find us? What if he was lying and he’s a criminal?”

“You can’t look into that man’s eyes and see anything there but kindness and pain,” Grace responded. “He means no harm to anyone, I’m sure of that.”

Patton shivered. He got out of bed slowly, clutching the wall for support. Every inch of his body ached. His ankle didn’t hurt as sharply as it had yesterday, but he was careful not to put too much weight on it. He pushed open the door and went through the short hallway into the larger room in the front of the small house, which served as a kitchen and living area. “Good morning,” he said softly.

Grace smiled at him. “Good morning, Patton, dear. Did you sleep well?”

Patton just nodded. “I...I would just...really like to thank you for letting me stay here last night. It was very kind of you, and...I need to be on my way now.”

“Please have something to eat first,” Grace said quickly. “I have a loaf of bread just ready to come out of the oven, and a few eggs that I was planning to cook.”

“I...I should…” Patton was hesitating. He really wanted to get to Crofterville as soon as possible, to learn what had happened to his friends. But also, he probably wouldn’t get very far without a little bit to eat. He had gotten this far, of course, but he knew that he was very weak. The last thing he wanted was to collapse halfway between here and Crofterville without anyone knowing where he was. “Alright, I’ll have some breakfast. Thank you, thank you so much.”

“Hush, dear, we don’t need any more thanks.”

Patton was quiet as he ate the food that he was given. He was dreading what might happen when he arrived in Crofterville. What if Roman was dead? And then, of course, there was the matter of Nathair. Would anyone believe him when he said he was the real Patton?

Would Virgil be there?

His longing to see Virgil again, to hold him and be held by him, was nearly painful. It had been painful while he was being imprisoned with no hope, and it was sharper now that the reality might be  _ so close _ .

After he ate, he knew he had to leave. Kai grabbed his hand and placed the walking stick in his palm. “I’ve got lots of ‘em,” Kai stated. “Take this one.”

“Thank you,” Patton murmured. He smiled at the boy. “I appreciate it.”

Grace pulled him into a tight hug. “Stay safe, alright, dear?”

Nearly overwhelmed by the hug, Patton nodded. Part of him wanted to stay in the embrace forever, but he pulled back after a few seconds. “Thank you, all of you. I’ll...I’ll try to repay you someday.” He smiled at Lauren and Kai. “Take care of yourselves, kiddos. It was really nice to meet you.” That was an understatement, but they both seemed to understand.

It was warm enough that Patton didn’t want to wear the sweater that Grace had given him, so he tied it around his shoulders as he limped off. He leaned on the walking stick and headed into the forest towards Crofterville, and whatever he might find there.


	9. Chapter 9

“What do you mean? Why do you want to take a walk in the forest with me and Patton?” Virgil asked suspiciously. “Roman, he doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“I know, I know that,” said Roman. He was trying to convince Virgil without having to explain all of what he and Logan had talked about. If Virgil knew right away that Patton was being mind-controlled, he wouldn’t be able to act normally around Patton. And Roman needed Patton not to suspect anything until he had him alone. That way, any retaliation would only be directed towards him, not Virgil or Logan. “Please, convince him to come, Virgil. We’ll take food, and...and I just need to relax somewhere safe for a while.” He put on his best pleading face.

Virgil hesitated. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather just go with Logan?”

“Please,” Roman repeated. “Come with us.”

“Alright, fine,” Virgil sighed. He glanced back towards the house where he and Patton had stayed the night. “I’ll...I’ll ask him. But if he says no, I’m not going to push him to spend time with you, okay? No offense.”

“None taken.” Roman waited as Virgil went back inside. Logan had gone to gather some food to take with them as a picnic.

Virgil came walking out of the house with Patton trailing behind him, looking pensive and withdrawn. “Yeah, we’ll come with you. Sitting by a tree and eating without worrying about someone coming up behind me with a sword seems like a good idea.”

“Patton?” Roman said softly. “I’m glad you’re coming.” He only got a slight nod in response.

“I have food,” Logan announced, reappearing from behind a building with a small bag. “Are we going? Ah, Patton, excellent. I’m glad you’re joining us.”

“Of course I am,” Patton said, a sudden, strange smile on his face. “I’m cheerful, friendly Patton. Why wouldn’t I want to spend time in the woods with my friends?”

Roman winced internally. “Wonderful! Come along, then, Logan tells me there’s a beautiful clearing in the woods this way.” He headed off.

“This way, actually,” Logan corrected, changing their path slightly.

“Of course, I knew that.”

The four of them entered the forest. Roman began to get a little tired after a while, his chest aching. Breathing deeply was still difficult. The bruising on his ribs made exerting himself miserable. He covered it well, though, and was fairly sure nobody (except maybe Logan) could tell how fatigued he was. Not for the first time, he cursed how weak his illness had made him.

“Are you alright?” Logan murmured to him.

Roman smiled reassuringly. “I’m managing,” he stated.

“The clearing is only another minute’s walk. Are you still going to…?”

Glancing quickly back at Patton, Roman nodded. “It’s better if I do it alone.”

“Be careful.”

“Always.”

“Last time you told me that, you ended up passed out on the ground with several bruised ribs,” Logan pointed out.

Roman shrugged. “I’m still here.”

“I am aware, and I am grateful for the amount of dumb luck you seem to have,” sighed Logan.

Before Roman could respond, the trees opened up into a small, grassy clearing. The ground was dotted with yellow and blue wildflowers, and there were several large, smooth rocks that looked perfect for sitting on. Virgil was the first to sit down, stretching his legs out and leaning back so the sunlight fell on his face. Patton sat down carefully on another rock a few yards away.

“What have you got in that bag of yours, Lo?” asked Virgil.

While Logan got out the food, Roman chose a rock that was near Patton, but not so near that he was too close. They all ate their food in relative silence. There wasn’t really much to talk about.

Abruptly, Roman stood up. “I’m going to take a walk,” he said. “Patton, come with me? Please? I...I just want to talk.”

Patton looked up, startled.

Virgil started to put his hand out and say something, but Logan touched his arm gently. “Hush,” he whispered. “It’s alright. He knows what he’s doing.”

“I…” Patton looked at Roman. Slowly, he came to a decision. “Alright, if that’s what you want.” He stood up to follow Roman out of the clearing.

Walking through the trees with Patton right behind him, Roman realized that he was nervous. Very nervous. He didn’t know what he was going to say to Patton, or how Patton might respond to anything he said. What if being discovered pulled a switch somewhere inside the mind-controlled Patton, making him violent? Roman couldn’t fight Patton, could never hurt him, even in self-defense. 

Or worse, what if it just...turned him off? Like the soldiers they had fought yesterday. A puppet with all its strings cut.

Was it better to just let Patton continue, being carefuller with the secrets he was given access to?

“What did you want to talk to me about?”

Roman jumped. He turned around. Patton had stopped in his tracks.

“You had to have brought me out here to talk to me about something. Otherwise, why would you want to get us away from the others?” asked Patton.

“I’ve noticed something,” Roman blurted out.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I…” Roman groaned and ran his hand across his cheek. “This isn’t easy.”

“Think how it must be for me,” Patton said dryly. “What on earth have you noticed, Roman?”

“You’re not yourself, Pat,” Roman said softly.

“I suppose getting tortured for months with the knowledge that your friends abandoned you to your fate might do that to someone.”

“Oh, Patton…”

“Stop pitying me, it’s...disgusting.”

“Patton, I’m going to just come out and say it,” Roman said. “I know you’re being mind-controlled by the Dragon Witch. I know she’s using you as a spy, just like she’s using all those soldiers we captured. And I know...I know you’re still in there somewhere, Patton.”

Patton’s expression hardly changed. He just raised his eyebrows slightly. “Oh, is that what you figured out?”

“Yes,” sighed Roman. “And you just confirmed it. Oh, god, I’m sorry. I know it’s not your fault.”

“I think it’s rather funny that you think I just confirmed it, because it’s not true,” Patton laughed. The laugh was harsh. It wasn’t Patton’s.

“But there isn’t another explanation. It’s okay, I know you probably have to deny it.”

Patton shook his head, still laughing. “It’s funny,” he said again. “Because the one time I tell you the truth, you think I’m lying.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Oh, Roman,” Patton said sympathetically, false pity in his voice. “Poor, naive, silly little Patton isn’t real.”

Roman shook his head blankly. “I have no idea what you’re saying.”

“Don’t you? I think you do. The Patton you know never existed.”

“I don’t understand,” Roman said again.

Patton had his hand in his pocket. “Then you really are more stupid than I thought, even after years of knowing you.”

“Patton, please, I know you, I know you’d never do this of your own free will. You have to try to fight it, please!” Roman begged. He was so desperate to get through to his friend that he didn’t have any time to react to Patton rushing at him, a small dagger in his hand.

Roman was knocked to the ground. Patton’s knee was on his chest, making his already bruised ribs agonize in protest. The sharp tip of the dagger pressed against his throat.

“Patton, what are you doing?” Roman gasped.

“I already told you, Patton isn’t real. But even this weak little body is enough to overpower you, my Prince,” Patton said mockingly. “After all, the illness you suffered after the Dragon Witch caught you with her venom was enough to kill you. How much does your arm shake when you pick up your sword? Will you ever be able to wield it properly again? I know how important your fighting skill is to your pride, Prince. And who  _ is _ the youngest little Prince without his pride?”

“Get off of me, Patton, I don’t want to hurt you,” Roman growled.

“No, but I want to hurt you.” Patton’s knee pressed harder against his sternum, and Roman cried out in pain. Patton was digging into the scar on his chest, and the dagger against his skin meant that he couldn’t even try to get away without getting cut. “I want to hurt you so much, Prince Roman. I want to cut your throat and cry for help so that I can see the look in your eyes as you die in your lover’s arms, knowing you’ll be leaving him all alone. You’ll feel so guilty. He told you to be careful. You promised you would be.”

Roman panted, unable to get a full breath in. “I am not going to die,” he snarled.

“Aren’t you, though?” Patton drew back his arm to strike.

A sudden shout from amongst the trees sounded out. “No!” A blur knocked Patton off of Roman, leaving him gasping and coughing for air.

“Patton, why?” Virgil choked out, rushing out after Logan, who had Patton pinned to the ground. “Why would you--?”

“Careful,” Roman coughed. “Careful, he has a knife, he’ll hurt you, he--”

“Patton, you’d never hurt me,” Virgil said, trying to approach.

Logan was holding Roman’s sword, pointing it at Patton. Patton still had the dagger in his hand. “I am not going to kill you,” Logan stated. “But I will knock you out if you make one move to harm Roman again.”

“Logan!” Virgil said, terrified. “Logan, don’t hold a sword to him, you can’t--that’s  _ Patton _ !”

“I’m not sure that it is anymore,” Logan said.

Even with a sword to his throat, Patton began to laugh. Again, it was the horrible, unfamiliar laugh from before. “Finally, someone is starting to understand! Oh, it would be you, Logan. Always so smart, always so logical.”

“Drop your knife,” Logan said calmly. “Put it down on the ground, and hold your hands away from it.”

Slowly, Patton placed the knife down. As soon as his hands were far enough away, Logan snatched it off the ground and threw it into the trees.

“You will not be able to hurt any of us anymore,” Logan told him. “You will have nothing more to report back to the Dragon Witch.”

“Logan, what are you saying?” asked Virgil.

“Whoever or whatever this person is anymore, he is a spy for the Dragon Witch. Perhaps he was Patton once, but he certainly isn’t right now.”

“Virgil,” Patton said, his voice suddenly oozing fear and desperation. “Virgil, please, we’re friends, aren’t we?”

“You...tried to kill Roman,” Virgil whispered. “I’m not sure we are.”

Roman struggled to his feet and went over to Logan. He put his hand on Logan's shoulder, feeling the tension there. Addressing Patton (or whoever it was), he said, “Explain, what did you mean when you said that Patton never existed?”

“I meant what I said.”

“That isn't true,” Logan said. “Patton is real. And you are not him.”

“If that isn't Patton, then where is Patton?” Virgil said in a hushed voice.

“And who is  _ that _ ?” added Roman.

“I have a theory,” Logan replied. “There were rumors that the Dragon Witch has an accomplice, a right-hand. Capable of the same sort of magic as she is, including shapeshifting. His name is--” Suddenly, Logan's own hand slapped across his mouth. Roman looked down and saw the man pinned there with his fist held up and closed.

“Stop it!” Roman cried. “Let him go!”

“It's not Patton,” breathed Virgil. “Where's Patton?”

“Let him go!” repeated Roman forcefully. He pushed Logan's hand that held the sword harder against not-Patton's throat. A thin line of blood trickled down the pale neck.

Not-Patton's first slowly unclenched. Logan's hand forcefully shot away from his mouth as he shouted, “ _ Deceit _ ! The Dragon Witch's accomplice is called Deceit!”

“Well done,” snarled Deceit. “But even now, you don't understand everything. You still don't understand  _ who _ I am.”

“Who are you, then?” asked Roman.

“ _ Where is Patton? _ ” Virgil said for a third time, practically shouting, not hiding his terror.

Roman's heart skipped a beat as he realized the implications.  _ No, we can't lose him again, not again! _

Deceit smirked. “I have always been Patton.”

“He's lying,” Logan stated. “It's what he does, he's lying, he  _ has to be _ .”

Something caught the corner of Roman’s eye and he looked up into the forest to see what was moving.

A person was stumbling out of the trees, a person in a blue shirt, clutching a walking stick. He looked about as thin as the stick himself, face pale and ashy. He stared at the scene in front of him with a growing sense of disbelief and unabashed relief.

“ _ Patton _ ?” Virgil choked out.

Patton met Virgil’s eyes and tried to smile. Then his hands slipped off the top of the walking stick and he crumpled to the ground.

* * *

_ Darkness. _

_ Patton was trapped in darkness. _

_ But that was okay. _

_ Even in the darkness, he could feel someone’s arms around him. _

_ He was home now. _


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Patton is safe, but the story isn’t over yet. <3 ~Martin

“Patton!” Virgil screamed, and he dove forward to catch Patton before he could hit the forest floor. “Patton, hey, hey, open your eyes, Patton, are you okay? Patton?!”

“Holy shit,” Roman gasped. “Holy shit, where did he come from?”

“Help me!” Virgil pleaded. “Logan, he’s unconscious.”

Roman took the sword from Logan and put his foot on Deceit’s chest. “Go take care of Patton,” he told Logan.

“How do we know that’s really Patton?” Logan demanded. “What if it’s another trick?”

Deceit sighed. Suddenly, his face in the imitation of Patton’s started melting away in a strange yellow glow. Roman stared, transfixed, as his eye turned yellow and snakelike, scales growing up through his skin. And then he recognized the man’s face and had to keep himself from stumbling backwards in shock.

“N-Nathair?” Roman whispered.

“Hello, Prince Roman.”

“How...you...you’re Deceit?” Roman could hardly breathe. Nathair had been his friend once, one of his closest friends. They had fought side by side. “Nathair, _why_ \--?”

“Ssspare me whatever sssentimental bullssshit you’re about to ssspew,” Nathair said. He had a strange hiss to his voice. “It won't do any good.”

“I…” Roman pressed his foot down harder onto Nathair's chest. “Why do you hate me so much?”

“It's alright, Virgil, he seems to be dehydrated and exhausted, but he isn't dying,” Logan said quietly.

“Oh, pity,” Nathair said languidly. “Sssstrange, I was sssure that one would be dead by now after what we did to him. He wasss nearly impossssible to break. Would rather kill himssself than risssk harm coming to you all.”

Roman glanced over his shoulder at Virgil cradling Patton tenderly while glaring at Nathair with such abject hatred that Roman feared for a second that Virgil was going to spring forward and attack. But he seemed to decide that holding Patton was more important.

“You haven't answered my question,” Roman said. “Why do you hate me?”

“Ssso many reasonsss. You took my command, my life’sss work, bringing the army to ssstupid battles under ssstupid leadership, dessstroying the effort it had taken to conquer neighboring landsss,” hissed Nathair. “You are a weak princssse in a line of weak royalty, and you don't dessserve your crown.”

“Did the Dragon Witch promise you the throne?” Roman mocked. “Did she teach you that little speech and give you those cute little scales? Were you so insecure that losing your position to someone who didn't want to conquer, but to protect, made you run off to the first person who told you that you're special and promised you power? I always thought better of you, Nathair, but I suppose even princes can be wrong.”

Nathair hissed, a forked tongue flickering through his teeth.

“No, but really, why the snakey stuff?” laughed Roman. “Is it supposed to look intimidating? A little wannabe dragon. Let me guess, the magic she taught you was never anything close to what you knew she could do. You were seduced by the temptation of power, and you stayed for the promise that eventually, you'd become as proficient in magic as her. I bet you always knew she would never teach you everything, though. No matter how much she grew to trust you, she would never give you the power to usurp her.”

Nathair's eyes flashed, the snake eye glowing slightly. “Her magic isss sssstrong, but power in magic means lesssss than how one usssesss it.”

“So you could defeat her if you wanted to?”

Narrowing his eyes, Nathair said nothing.

“You joined her because you wanted power, and because I ruined your life.” Roman tilted his head thoughtfully. “What if I was to give you your life back? If you were to take back your command of the army, and I never have you tried for treason?”

“Roman, what are you--" Logan started.

“Hush, love.” Roman stared down at Nathair. “In exchange for your help in killing the Dragon Witch, I will step down from my position as head of the army. That leaves it open for you to return, with the rest of the captured soldiers, and no one will ever have to know what you did. I'll tell everyone that you resisted the mind control and helped me defeat the Dragon Witch, and you'll have power and prestige. Everyone will admire you.”

“I wouldn't trussst your word,” Nathair said.

“I swear it on my life. I will not reveal that you worked with the Dragon Witch, and I will step down from my position as head of the army as soon as the Witch is dead.” Roman gazed at Nathair evenly, his expression open and honest.

“On your life.”

“Yes, on my life.”

“Would you ssswear on Logan's life?” asked Nathair.

Roman flinched. “I…” He took a deep breath. “Yes.”

Virgil made a noise of protest. “Roman, you--”

“A binding ssspell will hold you to your word,” Nathair told Roman. “I can perform it, tying it to my life, and your life, and Logan's life.”

“No,” Logan said. “Roman, I will not allow you to do this. He worked with the Dragon Witch, killed people of our kingdom, _tortured Patton_.”

“Logan, my love, do you not trust me?” Roman said quietly, never breaking eye contact with Nathair.

Logan hesitated. “I trust you,” he replied eventually.

“You will have to give your permission for the spell to involve you,” Roman said. “I'm sorry.”

“You do know ssssomething about magic, then,” Nathair said. “Then you know that after the ssspell issss in place, my death will not break it when it issss bound to you and Logan willingly.”

“I understand.”

“Might I be permitted to ssssit up to perform the ssspell, your Highnessss? Feel free to keep your ssssword to my throat for insssurance,” Nathair drawled.

“Logan, come over here.” Roman allowed Nathair to sit up as Logan came to his side. “You must swear, too, Nathair. Swear that you will do everything in your power to help me kill the Dragon Witch, and that you will not attempt any harm to any person besides those the army is ordered to attack by my father the King, or those acting in his stead, on penalty of your own life and the termination of this agreement.”

Nathair repeated it word for word. He lifted a hand and drew a glowing golden line in the air from himself to Roman. It hovered there, shivering. “And you will ssswear, on your own life and on Logan'sss life, to ssstep down from your posssition as head of the army and to pardon all chargesss of treassson, including any mentionsss of my working with the Witch.”

“I do swear that.”

“Logan,” Nathair added, looking towards the healer. “Your permissssion to become part of thisss ssspell?”

“I give my permission,” Logan said resignedly.

“Please, stop this,” Virgil whispered.

Roman couldn't bear to look at him.

Nathair drew two more lines in the air, connecting himself to Logan, and Logan to Roman. “The ssspell isss cassssst.”

“Now take me to the Dragon Witch,” Roman said firmly, removing the sword from Nathair's neck. With the spell binding Nathair from harming anyone there, there was no immediate danger.

“Roman, you are far too weak!” exclaimed Logan. “I did not realize that you were intending to do this _now_ , and I simply refuse to allow it.”

“Logan, she is at her weakest now, too,” Roman murmured. “I cut off her leg, she can't have healed yet, and she won't be expecting Nathair to have turned on her. I can do this, Logan.”

“Can you?” Logan said brokenly. “Or is this the time I watch you walk away and you never come back to me?”

Roman stuck his sword down into the soil and grabbed Logan's hands. “I will return to you,” he promised. “I have no doubt in my mind. And after this, you will never have to worry about me again. I am stepping down from my position in the army, and I will not be serving as a Knight any longer.”

“And what if you don't come back?”

“I asked you earlier if you trusted me. You said that you did. Logan, please. Trust me now.” Roman kissed Logan's hand.

Logan closed his eyes. “I don't have another choice, do I?”

“I love you,” Roman said.

“I love you,” echoed Logan.

“How touching,” Nathair sighed languidly. “If we are going to climb thisss mountain today, Roman, we had better get ssstarted.”

Roman kissed Logan swiftly on the lips. “Wait in Crofterville with me. Send Virgil and Patton to the palace with a few folks from the town to protect them--you’re still not allowed back there. Emile will take excellent care of Patton, I am sure, and I may need you when I return.”

Logan nodded. “When, not if?”

“ _When_ I return,” Roman insisted.

“Roman!” Virgil said. He was still holding Patton, sitting on the ground with his unconscious friend. “Be careful. We're not losing you. And...I really fucking hope you know what you're doing.”

“I'll see you soon,” Roman promised him. “Take care of Patton, and tell him I'll be there soon when he wakes up.” He turned to Nathair. “Stand up. We're going to get horses, and then you're taking me to the mountain, and we are going to kill the Dragon Witch. Once and for all.”

* * *

Patton could feel a warm, gentle hand on his forehead. The touch was familiar, achingly familiar, but he couldn't place it. He was safe, though. At least...he thought so? But maybe he needed to make sure.

He opened his eyes. Nothing was in focus. His vision was dark, or maybe it was nighttime. It wasn't the all-consuming darkness of the cage, but a blue darkness that had some soft glowing lights to it. _Sky_ , his mind provided. _Night sky. Stars. Moon._

“Patton? A-are you awake?”

With a shuddering gasp, Patton sat up. His head spun. “Virgil?” he cried out.

“Oh, Patton! Shhh, be still, don't...shh, lay back down. I've got you, you're safe.” Virgil sounded close to tears.

“What's wrong, are you crying?” Patton asked breathlessly. His head was aching, spinning, and moving too slow and too fast all at once. “What's wrong?”

Virgil shushed him again. “It's alright, it's alright, everything is going to be alright. Lay down, there, lay down. You're exhausted, and sick, and you need to stay still.”

Patton was laying back down, his head resting on something soft. A blanket covered him, and another lay below him. “Virgil?”

“I'm here,” Virgil said shakily. “I'm right here, sweetheart.”

“Where am I?” Patton was trying not to be frightened. Virgil was there, and he said that everything was okay. So why was he still frightened? “Virgil, what's happening?”

“We're on our way home,” Virgil told him. “Nearly to the palace, only another hour’s ride, but you were coughing in your sleep and...and whimpering, and we needed to make sure you were alright.”

“Home?” Patton struggled to remember. “I...I found you in the forest.”

“You did, yeah. And now we're taking you home, so you can get better. And I'll take care of you. You're going to be alright.” Virgil stroked his forehead and took his hand. “I promise, you'll be alright.”

Patton felt the pain in his body like he was detached from it. “Roman and Logan?” he asked.

“Not here right now. They're...um, they're in Crofterville still. Well….I'll tell you everything later, but you don't need to think about that right now. We'll get you back up onto the horse with me and we'll be home in no time.”

“Virgil?”

“I'm here,” Virgil sniffled. “Oh, Patton, I'm here.”

Patton reached up with both arms, suddenly desperate to be held by his best friend. “I missed you,” he said weakly.

Virgil burst into tears and scooped Patton up into his lap, hugging him so tightly it almost hurt. Patton barely felt the pain. “I m-missed you, too,” Virgil sobbed. “Patton, I've got you. I've got you, it's alright. It's alright.”

With a little whimper, Patton buried his face in Virgil's chest. He was shaking, nestling closer into the embrace. “Virgil?” He could hardly believe it. He so badly wanted it to be real. He _needed_ it to be real.

“Oh, sweetheart, Patton, darling,” babbled Virgil. “Patty, I've got you. You're safe now, I'm never letting anything happen to you ever again. Shhh, shhh, I'm here. I'm here.”

Patton let himself start to cry, trusting Virgil to hold him together. “I missed you,” he said again.

“I know, I know, I've got you. I'm here now. Never letting go, shhh, I've got you. Cry if you need, just let me hold you. I won't let go.” Virgil rocked back and forth, kissing the top of Patton's head. “I won't let go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m working on the next chapter! Hopefully I’ll have it done soon, but the next chapter of Anomalies will be posted first. Also, I’m leaving town tomorrow and I’ll be gone until next Monday without my computer, so I’m not going to update anything until then. I’ll try and maybe work on a one shot, or the multichapters I’m going to start posting once these two are done. I’m excited! <3 ~Martin


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Food mention, torture mention, fantasy violence, knives, swords.
> 
> Notes: I hope you enjoy this third to last chapter! Sorry it took so long. Starting school again has been more stressful and time-consuming than I had anticipated. But I will be getting the rest of the story out to you soon! <3 ~Martin

Roman's hands dug into the crevices between the sharp grey rocks that the mountainside was made up of as they climbed a particularly steep stretch. His legs were shaking, but he pushed past that. If he managed to win this battle, he could rest for as long as he wanted, safe in Logan's care, with all the time in the world to recover.

Just in front of him climbed Nathair, who was scaling the rocks with ease. “It isssn't very far now to the cave,” he told Roman. “And be careful where you put your handssss. There are ssssnakes on thisss mountain.”

Quickly, Roman pulled his hands out of the crevices and shuddered. “Remember, if you can distract and weaken her, I'll go for the neck,” he called up.

“Yesss, Princsse, we've been over that already,” Nathair drawled.

“Excuse me for wanting to make sure that our life and death battle goes according to plan,” muttered Roman.

“Keep up,” was all Nathair said in return.

Roman gritted his teeth and climbed faster.

When the mouth of the cave finally appeared in the rock face, the pathway flattened out to zigzag a few times up to it. A flat expanse stretched out in front of the cave. It seemed just big enough for the Dragon Witch to land on, and the rock was smeared blue with her blood. Roman felt a grim satisfaction as he saw the blood, knowing that it was his sword which had caused the damage.

A huge round boulder halfway blocked the entrance to the cave. It seemed like the Dragon Witch had tried to roll it back completely but had stopped midway. There was more blood on the boulder.

Standing to the side of the entrance, Roman shivered. The Dragon Witch was inside, of that he was certain. There was no turning back now. Soon it would be over. Whatever outcome, it would soon be over. And one way or another, Roman could rest.

Nathair held a finger to his lips and gestured for Roman to stay where he was. Then he began to walk into the cave, standing tall, his shoulders back. “I'm back,” he called loudly. “Your loyal ssservant hasss returned.”

A low growl answered him.

“You look terrible,” remarked Nathair. “Three legsss isssn't a good look for you.”

_ What is he doing? _ Roman wondered.

“What are you doing back here?” the Dragon Witch asked, her voice grating and angry.

“Didn't you noticsse there'sss sssomeone missssing from your little cage? Poor Patton essscaped and found hisss way home. Hisss friendsss decssided that I had overssstayed my welcome.” The twisting of the truth seemed to come so easy to Nathair. It made Roman uncomfortable.

The Dragon Witch just growled again. She sounded more animal than human.

“I'm right in sssaying that you won't be healing yourssself with magic thisss time, true?” asked Nathair.

“What do you think, idiot?” snapped the Dragon Witch. “I can't re-grow a limb.”

“You're sssstill bleeding,” Nathair observed quietly. Roman could barely hear him. “You're weak.”

This time, the growl was loud enough to send vibrations through the stone. Roman cringed at the way it felt underneath him.

“I meant no offenssse, of courssse.” Once again, that was a slippery lie. It was clear enough that Nathair was challenging the Dragon Witch. But when was Roman supposed to make his move? He drew his sword silently.

“Of course,” the Dragon Witch repeated mockingly. “Well, if you aren’t spying for me in the palace, what are you going to do now? Shall I send you back as an assassin? You’ve proved that you can do that, at least.”

“Are you intending to exssecute our plan now?” asked Nathair. “When we’ve lossst our army, and your leg, and my advantage in the palacsse?”

“I am not defeated,” the Dragon Witch snarled.

“I didn’t sssay you were.” The hiss in Nathair’s voice was becoming more pronounced. “Not yet, at leasssst. And yet I begin to doubt your intentionssss in regardsss to my reward.”

“What are you talking about?” she dismissed. “When I control the one who sits on the throne, you shall be in command of the army, to conquer where you wish.”

“For what purposssse? You can sssubject any land in the world to your will jussst by flying overhead,” Nathair said. “You can have all the power you want. Why let me ssstay on, when I could defeat you and take the power for myssself?”

“You presume you are strong enough to take me on in battle,” scoffed the Dragon Witch. “I have taught you much, but you have no ability to match mine.”

“Isss that ssso?” Nathair said, his voice getting darker. He started to chant something in a strange language, full of hissing and guttural noises.

“An immobilizing spell? Try all you like,  _ Deceit _ .” The Dragon Witch didn’t sound worried. “It won't save your friend lying in wait outside with his grand hopes of killing me--like a mouse, who thinks he can take on a cat.”

_ Oh, shit. She knows I'm here. _

“I know he must have offered you something to convince you to betray me. But return to me now and you will be forgiven.” There was a silence as the Dragon Witch waited for a response.

Roman couldn't decide whether he should run or face his death with dignity. Then the Dragon Witch interrupted the silence when Deceit didn't answer audibly. He had stopped chanting the spell by now.

“I see,” purred the Dragon Witch. She sounded almost regretful. “How stupid of you. A binding spell, yes? You have sworn on your life to help him kill me. Unfortunately, my no-longer-loyal servant, that means I have to kill  _ you _ , as well.”

A swift sound of movement, scales scraping stone, and a scream tore through the air. Roman didn't have to decide anymore. He rushed into the cave, sword drawn and outstretched. Nathair had collapsed against the side of the cave. A thin red line was drawn down his left cheekbone. Just a scratch. But Roman knew as Nathair screamed again, clutching his face, that a scratch was all it took. Nathair was dying.

“Hello, Prince Roman,” the Dragon Witch greeted. Her voice scraped like teeth against rusted metal. “I had hoped we had met for the last time, but you sought me out. Tell me, what were you planning to accomplish?”

Roman was not sure he had an answer. The Dragon Witch's eyes pierced him uncomfortably as he struggled to think of something to say. “You are hurting the people of my country whom I have sworn to protect,” he landed on eventually. “It is my duty to stop you or to die trying.”

“Then you shall die trying,” she said. Then she paused. “Or you shall join me.”

“I would never join you.”

She murmured something under her breath and suddenly Roman could see something else inside his mind, a vision of a crown on his head. The crown belonged to his father, and would have belonged to his eldest brother, but now...it belonged to him.

“I had planned to have four of the five siblings killed, and your father,” the Dragon Witch said. Her words reached him even in the vision. “To control the only heir, to have them do my bidding. But a willing puppet is so much more pliable. Oh, and the people  _ love you _ , Prince Roman.”

Now Roman, still wearing the crown, was leaning out on a balcony over a crowd of the citizens he ruled over. Smiles and joyful waving greeted him from his subjects. As he raised his hand, they cheered.

“You could be king,” whispered the Dragon Witch. “With the power to do great things, expand your country with me by your side. Roman, King of all Lands. And songs would be sung of you for millennia. There would be such books written of you.”

Roman was turning the pages of a gorgeously illustrated manuscript telling of how he joint the whole world under a single leader. He united all the people of the world, and none ever went hungry again. Full page spreads of his likeness adorned every few chapters. He would never be forgotten like this. He wouldn't be insignificant anymore. And the world would be better under his rule.

“Together, it would be so easy,” cajoled the Dragon Witch. “Say yes, King Roman, and let me guide you to the forefront of history, there to be heralded as the hero of the world. Forever.”

It was what he wanted. It was  _ everything _ he wanted. His fingers trailed the gilded edges of the pages, reveling in the beauty for a moment.

And then he closed the book. He took the crown from atop his head and placed it on top of the dark leather cover.

“No,” he stated. “I refuse your offer.”

Growling, the Dragon Witch sprang forward with surprising speed given her missing leg. Roman was snapped out of the vision and back into the cave. With the reptilian face only inches from his own, he backed up against the wall.

“Then I will kill you just the same,” roared the Dragon Witch. Her hot breath sprayed into Roman's face. “And I will kill your father and all your siblings but one, and I will take the throne for my own. And you will die knowing that I will show no mercy to your people, or your friends, or to the man that you love!”

Roman hoped they could forgive him for failing.

“Prepare to meet your death!”

Then, the breath was no longer hot on his skin, but cold. Very cold. The Dragon Witch inhaled, a sharp, shocked, gasping noise.

“What--how--”

Roman could suddenly hear a muttering from nearby. It was Nathair's voice. It was weak, but so icily venomous that Roman felt himself getting chilly though he was not the target of the spell.

“Release me!” the Dragon Witch shrieked. “Or I will make your death even slower and more painful than it already is!”

Nathair did not release her. His voice got stronger, and ice crystals were starting to form on her scales. She let out a bellow of anger and tried to move back, throwing her head back and forth. Roman ducked and scrambled out of the way, panting. He had dropped his sword somewhere along the way. Where was his sword?

“You cannot defeat me! You cannot--” Rather frantically, the Dragon Witch started to speak a spell of her own. Some of the ice dissipated into steam or dripped to the floor, but the crystals spread faster than the licking flames could keep up. “Curse you! Where did you learn ice magic?”

_ There! _ Roman had spotted his sword. It was right underneath the Dragon Witch as she stood in place and thrashed her body around.  _ Now, while she's distracted! _ He dove onto the ground and slid underneath her leg.

She had seen him. Despite the ice frosting over her eyes, she had seen him. She raised her remaining front leg to stomp on him, to crush him and plunge her venomous claws deep into his chest.

But Roman was faster. His sword was in his hand, pointing straight up into the air. As her body descended, he thrust upwards with all his strength. He sat up into the strike as his sword found its mark in between the scales on the side of the Dragon Witch's neck. There was no sound except for a choking gasp, and the ice took over her body before a drop of her blue blood could fall.

Leaving his sword in the Dragon Witch's body, Roman made his way to Nathair's side as quickly as he could. Nathair had stopped speaking his spell, but was no longer screaming, either. The snake scales on his face were gone. Both of his eyes were the same dull brown, though they were half-closed and nearly lifeless. Green threads of venom wove their way through the left side of his face.

“I should let you die,” Roman whispered.

“I am dying,” wheezed Nathair. “Nothing you could do even if you were inclined to help me.”

“You tortured Patton. Betrayed your country. Killed--” Roman broke off. “I should let you die.”

Nathair didn't bother to respond.

“Stand up,” Roman ordered. “We're getting off this mountain.”

Not moving, Nathair muttered, “How do you suggest we do that, princey?”

Roman grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to his feet. “Very carefully,” he snapped. “Because I have a promise to keep.”

After going through the palace gates and dismounting the horse, Patton was unsteady on his feet. Virgil was right beside him, murmuring encouragement and supporting most of his weight. Even so, Patton didn't get very far before his legs gave out and he sank to the ground.

“Okay, you just rest,” Virgil said. “Um--excuse me,” he added, addressing one of the palace workers. “Get the new healer, Emile, please--tell him that someone needs help, now.”

Patton closed his eyes as Virgil knelt next to him and put an arm around him. “Hi,” whispered Patton.

“Hey, Patty. I've got you, I promise, everything's going to be okay. I...I haven't met Emile, but I'm sure he'll take good care of you, and I'll be right with you the whole time,” Virgil assured him.

“I'm not worried.” In fact, Patton felt like every weight in the world had been lifted off of his chest as he leaned on Virgil trustingly. He was home, and Virgil was there. There was no reason to worry about anything anymore.

Virgil held him up gently. They had made it just inside one of the palace doors, so they were sitting on hard stone, but Patton didn't mind. “Patty, do you want to eat?” he said softly. “I'll get you anything you want.”

Patton shook his head. “‘m just a little sleepy,” he said. “Don't want to eat right now.”

“Okay, that's okay. But soon, okay? You're…” Virgil swallowed. “You're pretty sick, Patty. You need strength to recover. I'm sure Emile will say the same.”

His stomach turned at the thought of food, but he nodded. For Virgil, he would try to eat. “Sleep first,” he pleaded.

“Yeah, you can sleep. Um, the healer might want to talk to you, so stay awake just a little longer,” Virgil said.

A new voice spoke. “Aha, and are you who I was called out to see?”

Virgil sat up a little taller. “You're Emile, right?”

“That's me!”

“This is Patton,” Virgil said, almost sounding desperate. “He's hurt and sick and...and he was held captive by the Dragon Witch for a long time. He needs help, please…”

Emile's voice got very soft. “Alright, there, let me take a look. What's your name?”

“Virgil,” he answered. “We're friends of Roman, you met him.”

Patton felt unfamiliar hands touch his face. He almost pulled away, but something told him that this person was safe.

“Patton, can you open your eyes for me?” Emile requested.

He obeyed, blinking tiredly and gazing at the healer with an unfocused gaze.

“Ah, there you are. I'm going to take your hand now and pinch the skin on the back of it, just gentle, it won't hurt. I want to know how dehydrated you are.” Emile took his hand and pinched it. Just like he said, it didn't hurt. “Okay, Patton, you should really have something to drink. Can we get you some water or tea?”

Patton nodded. “I had some water earlier,” he said weakly. “Guess it wasn't enough.”

“Your body will rehydrate slowly, it'll take a few days to get back to a healthy level. Virgil, my infirmary is rather full at the moment from the battle I hear took place. Is there a room we can go to where I can examine and help Patton more privately? A quiet, familiar room is best in these circumstances,” Emile said.

“Yeah, um...we can go to my room,” Virgil said. “It's down the hallway from Prince Roman’s.”

“Excellent. Patton, are you able to walk right now?” When Patton shook his head, Emile asked, “Would you be alright with me carrying you? I can see that Virgil here has an injured wrist and probably shouldn't be lifting much.”

“That's what Logan said, but it's fine, really,” Virgil protested.

“‘m okay with it,” Patton told Emile. “But Virgil can stay with me, right?”

“Of course. Alright now, up we go.” Emile lifted Patton up almost effortlessly, standing up with him and carrying him down the hallway. “Lead the way, Virgil!”

Patton closed his eyes again as Emile carried him. He was so tired, and the rocking motion was more comfortable than the bouncing of being on a horse. He had almost fallen asleep when he felt himself being lowered onto a bed and propped up on some pillows.

“I've sent for plenty of water, and my bag of supplies from the infirmary. In the meantime, I'm just going to take a look at you, Patton. Do you have any major injuries?” Emile asked solemnly. “Anywhere that hurts more than anywhere else?”

“I broke my left ankle...a while ago,” Patton said. “I don't think it healed right, it hurts to walk on now.”

Emile took Patton's worn-out shoes off to look at his ankle. He felt around for a break. “Ah. I can see why that might be causing some pain, Patton. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do about that--it’s already healed as much as it's going to. Some rest and letting the swelling go down will help, and we can manage the pain.”

Patton reached for Virgil's hand. “Okay, and...there's not any... _ new _ injuries, really, but, um…” His lip quivered. Not wanting to explain, he just pulled his sweater and shirt off. His ribs stuck out under mottled bruised and scarred skin. He heard Virgil make a sound of shock.

“I see,” murmured Emile. “Well, I can take care of the infections I see in a few places, and keep the rest clean while they finish healing. Mostly what I can prescribe is lots of rest, lots of food, and lots of time with your friends.” There was a knock at the door. “That'll be my supplies. Hold tight, be right back.”

Virgil squeezed Patton's hand. “See, he's nice,” he said. “How are you doing?”

Patton's eyes felt a little damp. He sniffled. “‘m okay. Little overwhelmed, not in a bad way. Still wanna sleep.”

“Soon, I promise. And I'll stay right here while you do, so you'll always know you're safe.” Virgil held his hand tighter again as Emile came back with a cup full of water and some bandages and jars. “How long will this take? He's really tired.”

“Not too long,” Emile reassured him. “Patton, have some of the water and take deep breaths. I can't promise that this won't hurt at all, but I'll make it as easy as I can and as quick as I can.”

Patton didn't care about the stinging pain while his wounds were being cleaned. He sipped the water and held onto Virgil tightly and breathed slowly until it was over. The water made his head hurt less, and the sharp stinging felt better than the aching and throbbing of the infected cuts.

“There,” Emile said. “All done for now, I'll let you sleep. I had them bring some food for after you take a rest, Patton. Try to eat some of it, but not too much too fast.”

Nodding, Patton leaned back against the pillows. “Thank you,” he mumbled. “You're very nice.”

Emile laughed. “You're very welcome! Sleep well, Patton. I'll come back soon to check on you. I have an infirmary full of rather traumatized soldiers to look after in the meantime.”

Virgil inhaled sharply. “Emile, are the soldiers...do they, I mean...are they themselves? Or are they still...puppets?”

“Oh, they're all very much themselves,” Emile said. “Most of them are in better shape than Patton here, and don't even remember being under the spell.”

“That means the spell is broken,” whispered Virgil. “Which means...either the Dragon Witch let them go, or...or she's dead, and Roman did it.”

“I wondered about that myself. I doubt we'll find an answer yet, but I hope that Roman is alright. I like him.” Emile closed the door as he left.

“Did Roman go after her?” Patton asked.

“Yeah.”

“That's why he isn't here.” Patton paused. “What about N-Nathair?” His voice shook saying the name.

“He's with Roman. I don't know exactly what happened, but Roman was  _ sure _ it was going to be okay, and I believe him.” Virgil sounded confident.

“Okay.” Patton felt cold at the thought of Nathair, and shivered. “Virgil? Will you lay down with me?”

“Oh...oh, of course, Patty. Let me undress and put on clean underclothes, and then I'll be right there.” Virgil kissed his forehead before standing up.

Patton stifled a whimper. He didn't want Virgil gone even for a second. But Virgil returned in a minute and got onto the bed, letting Patton curl up at his side with his head on Virgil's chest. Virgil put his arms around him and held him close.

“Alright, you can go to sleep now, Patty,” Virgil told him. “I'll be right here.”

But now Patton didn't want to go to sleep, even though he was tired. “You think Ro is gonna be okay?” he asked.

“I don't know. I hope so.”

“What's going to happen to...Nathair?”

Virgil hesitated. “I don't know, Pat. But he's never going to hurt you again, I swear it.”

Patton finally let his eyes close. He could feel Virgil's breathing, could hear his heartbeat. That was the sound he fell asleep to. It followed him into dark dreams, reminding him that he was sleeping safely with his best friend beside him.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Injuries, food mention, mentions of violence and past torture, murder mention, death mention. This story contains villain!Deceit. (most of the warnings are just for talking about things that happened previously in the story)
> 
> Notes: I know I said Chapter 11 was going to be the third to last chapter, but, um, this one kinda just finished it? Yep, this is the last chapter! Enjoy! <3 ~Martin

Roman was practically carrying Nathair as they approached Crofterville. How Nathair was clinging to life, he wasn't sure. The man was burning up with fever, and his face was covered in a green lace of the venom from the Dragon Witch's claw. But then, Roman's wound had been much more severe, and he had survived.

Hopefully, Logan could perform the same miracle again. If not, his own life as well as Roman's could be at stake. Roman didn't know exactly what would happen if Nathair died without seeing Roman's side of the deal fulfilled, but he didn't want to find out.

Two people were riding towards them on horses. Roman's vision was blurry with exhaustion, but he was pretty sure he recognized both of them, and they looked pretty familiar. “Logan,” he breathed.

Logan dismounted his horse almost before the horse stopped moving and ran towards Roman. “I was--I decided I had to come after you, but you're already back. Does that mean--?”

“The Dragon Witch is dead,” Roman said. “And Deceit is dying.”

“We should let him!”

“We…” Roman felt the last of his strength dissipate. Logan grabbed him to keep him from falling and Remy, who had been on the other horse, did the same for Nathair. “You have to save him, because I don't know what it would mean for the oath if he dies. You might die, and we can't risk that.”

“He's right about that, little brother,” Remy said. “After everything you told me about this slimy traitor, he absolutely deserves to suffer. But not if it means losing you.”

Logan hesitated, looking Roman over. “You need help as well.”

“I've got him,” Remy said quickly. He took Roman's arm to steady him. “Right, girl? Logan can save the slimy snakey traitor, I'll make sure Princey gets everything he needs.”

“Right.” Logan narrowed his eyes, focusing. “I need to get him to Crofterville right away. The infirmary at the palace would be better, but he doesn't have that kind of time. Remy, help me get him onto the horse. You and Roman can follow more slowly.”

Roman sat down on the ground as Remy and Logan got Deceit onto the horse. He was so tired. He had been continually pushing his body past its limits over the past few days, and he knew he was going to pay for that. Already, every inch of him ached and he was short of breath. But the Dragon Witch was defeated. Patton was home. He could rest now.

“Hey, let's get you standing up, Princey,” Remy was saying. The sound of hoofsteps faded into the distance as Logan and Nathair rode away.

“Think I'll stay here for a minute,” Roman managed.

“Or that, that works too. Just not too long. I bet Lo is gonna need my help, and you should probably be tucked into a soft bed for quite a while,” Remy said. He sat down next to Roman. “But take a minute to rest first. Don't want you passing out and falling off the horse on the way home.”

Roman gave a tired laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, that'd be good.”

Getting back to Crofterville was a bit of a blur after that. Roman rode in front of Remy to avoid falling off in case he did end up passing out, and he remembered Remy helping him into Logan's house. Logan said something in an urgent tone, and Roman was led to bed before Remy disappeared into the other room to help.

Roman removed his armor, drank the water that was sitting on the bedside table, and collapsed onto the bed without bothering with the blankets. He was asleep by the time his head hit the pillow, trusting Logan to keep everything under control while he slept.

The house was quiet when Roman awoke. He breathed deeply, not quite ready to open his eyes yet. Everything that had been hurting before he slept seemed less painful now. It was easier to breathe. He wondered how long he had slept.

After a minute, worry about why everything seemed to silent drove him to sit up and open his eyes. “Logan?” he called. When nobody answered, his heart skipped a beat. “Logan, are you here?”

Roman got out of bed and walked slowly into the other room. Nobody was there, either. Not a trace of Logan, or Remy, or Nathair. He was starting to feel very, very afraid.

“Logan!” he shouted. He hurried to the front door, desperate to find someone who could tell him what had happened while he had slept. Opening the door, he practically tripped over someone stretched out asleep in the sunlight. “Oh!”

“Hm, wh's going on, girl?” Remy sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Oops, fell asleep getting some fresh air.”

Roman grabbed the man's shoulder. “Where's Logan?” he demanded.

“Gone back to the palace,” Remy said.

Looking up at the sky, Roman realized that it was late afternoon. “When did he leave?”

“Early in the morning, as soon as slimy traitor man was stable.” Remy stood up, yawning. “He told me not to wake you until you were ready, so I was just sitting out here. I snore, didn't want that to wake ya and get yelled at by my baby brother.”

Roman was starting to breathe more slowly, calming down. “I slept through the whole night and half the day, too?”

“Oh, yeah. Noon was well over three hours ago. Looks like it did you some good, though.”

“It did. I feel a lot better.” A new worry presented itself suddenly. “Logan isn't allowed in the palace! He was exiled, how can he have gone back?”

“Said he was counting on your pal Virgil to get him in with the snake, and someone called Emile was gonna help him hide until you could get there,” Remy explained.

“Then I have to get home at once,” Roman said.

“Sure thing. I'll get our horses ready.”

Roman frowned. “Are you coming with me?”

Grinning, Remy said, “Wouldn't miss it! Plus, Logan told me to keep an eye on you.”

“Alright then, I'm sure I'll be glad of the company.” Roman paused. “I think I could use something to eat before heading off on a fairly long horse ride, though.”

“I'll feed you first, _then_ I'll get the horses ready,” Remy remanded, laughing. “Probably shoulda thought of that. What do princes eat, anyway?”

“I'm not too picky, whatever you give me will be fine,” said Roman.

“Good. Come with me, Princey!” Remy went inside, Roman close behind. As Remy found some food, he said, “My brother told me about this deal you made. You really planning to step down from the army and let the slithery dude take over?”

“The first part, yes. I couldn't really fight anymore if I wanted to; I got so weak after I was injured the first time by the Dragon Witch, and pushing myself too hard these past few days hasn't helped. I'll finally listen to Logan and Virgil and take some time to rest,” said Roman. “As for letting Nathair take over the army...no, I have no intention of actually letting that happen.”

Remy raised an eyebrow. “Oh? How do you plan on breaking your death-bonded deal, then?”

“I do have a plan, but I'm not going to tell anyone until I know if it will work. I hope you understand.”

“It's my baby brother's life you're gambling, Princey.” Remy’s voice held a layer of warning. “You be careful, or you'll have me to answer to.”

“My life is bound to it, too. If I fail, I'll be dead as well.”

“That doesn't change the fact that I'll make you wish you had never been born if anything happens to Logan,” stated Remy. He stared at Roman for a few seconds, and then grinned disconcertingly. “I hope you understand.”

Roman could only nod in response.

* * *

“...just let him wake up on his own, he needs this rest. He's barely woken up since we got back, Roman, except to eat and drink a little. He's just not ready yet.”

Patton could hear Virgil talking to someone, but it wasn't until he heard Roman's name that it registered.

“I understand, I just...I want to talk to him.” Roman sounded choked up. “I miss him.”

“I told you I'd let you know as soon as he's ready to talk.”

Patton coughed and opened his eyes, trying to sit up. “Roman?”

“Patton! You're awake!” Roman gasped.

Virgil and Roman both rushed over to the bedside. “Are you okay, Pat?” asked Virgil.

“Yeah, ‘m okay.” Patton looked directly at Roman and held out his arms.

Roman flung himself onto the bed and pulled Patton into a tight but gentle hug. “Patton,” he sniffled.

“Hi,” Patton said. “I really missed you, too.”

“I'm so, so sorry,” Roman said, voice breaking. “I'm so sorry.”

“No, no, wasn't your fault. He lied to you. Wasn't your fault, none of it. Don't even _think_ I blame you, not for a second,” Patton said fiercely. “He _lied_.”

Roman sobbed into his shoulder.

“I saw his reports back to the Dragon Witch,” Patton said. He was surprising himself by being able to talk about it. Somehow, he was suddenly ready. “Before he got to the palace, she still thought you were dead. So _I_ thought you were dead. I was so...I couldn't...and when I learned that you were alive, I had hope again. I knew you'd beat them.”

“She's dead,” Roman told him. “I killed her. She'll never hurt anyone again, and he's in prison. He will be for the rest of his life. Neither of them will ever be able to hurt you again.”

Virgil had sat down behind Patton and was rubbing his back to steady him. “Wait until you hear how Roman did it, Pat. Turns out the princey does have some brains in there.”

“Exploiting a loophole in the oath wasn't that impressive, I was just very careful about what I actually agreed to,” Roman said.

Patton didn't know what oath they were talking about and he didn't really care right then. He just wanted to keep hugging his friends. “Where's Logan? I know he was exiled from the palace, is he okay?”

“He's here in the palace, Patty. He was able to come back. Nathair is imprisoned for the murder of Princess Mina, and Emile and Roman were able to convince the king that there was nothing Logan could have done against the poison he used,” Virgil explained. “Oh--and if anyone asks, Nathair killed Mina solely to get revenge on Roman for taking his position in the army. Nobody will know about him working with the Dragon Witch unless he chooses to confess. Roman kind of made a magical deal with him in exchange for being shown where the Dragon Witch lived and help in killing her.”

“Also I'm no longer a knight,” Roman added. “I stepped down--which would have left the position for Nathair, if we hadn't arrested him for Mina's murder. Not treason, because I swore I would pardon his treason, but he killed Mina. That was enough for my father.”

Overwhelmed, Patton nodded. He pressed his face into Roman's shirt. “Explain the rest another time, can't handle more now,” he mumbled.

Roman stroked Patton's hair. “Of course, I'm sorry.”

There was a quiet knock at the door.

“Come in,” Virgil called.

Patton looked up just enough to see Logan walk in. “Hi, Lo-lo!” he said.

“Patton, I didn't know you had woken up!” Logan exclaimed.

“He's only been awake for a few minutes.” Roman held his hand out to bring Logan closer.

Trying to hold onto Roman and lean back against Virgil at the same time, Patton reached out and made a pleading noise for Logan to hug him. And Logan did, sitting down on the bed and putting an arm around him.

“With Emile busy with the rest of the soldiers who had been imprisoned, and with moving to new quarters so I can have my own rooms back, I'll be taking over your care, Patton,” said Logan. “I hope that is alright.”

“Of course. I missed you,” Patton said. “I couldn't bear it when Nathair said he had gotten you sent away, I wanted so badly to come and make things right.”

“You're home now, and so am I,” Logan said simply. “Things have been made right.”

Patton nodded. All of a sudden, a light-headedness swept over him and he leaned back against the pillows. Six concerned hands kept him from falling over too far. “Thanks, guys,” he mumbled. “Just got a little dizzy.”

“I’ll send for something to eat and drink for all of us,” Roman offered.

“Sounds nice.” Patton closed his eyes and found Virgil’s hand to hold. “I’m just going to rest until then.”

Virgil kissed the top of his head. “You got it, Pat,” he whispered.

Patton opened one eye just a crack, glanced around at his friends, and smiled. The three smiles he got in return were enough to make him close his eyes and sigh contentedly. Like Logan had said, they were all home now. Things had been made right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this story! Please, please let me know what you thought of it!
> 
> I’ve been working on my original fiction and a fic for a different fandom recently, not to mention being back at school and having a job, so I know I’ve been posting less frequently than I used to. I still have lots of fics left to post and finish for this fandom, though, so don’t think I’m disappearing!
> 
> A couple of the multi-chapter fics that I’m thinking about starting to post now that this one has reached its conclusion are a soulmate-ish AU that ends up eventually in a LAMP/CALM relationship with a mixture of romantic and platonic bonds, and my HS Logicality AU which involves autistic Logan (there isn’t any romantic Prinxiety yet, but that will probably change once I write more of it). Both of them will get posted eventually, but if you guys have any opinions on which you’d like first, please message me or send an ask or comment on this post!
> 
> I love you all and I hope you had a lovely Pi Day! <3 ~Martin


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